Battles of Bohorodychne and Krasnopillia
![]() | It has been suggested that this article be merged with Battle of Dovhenke. (Discuss) Proposed since August 2022. |
Battles of Bohorodychne and Krasnopillia | |||||||
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Part of the Eastern Ukraine offensive of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Casualties and losses | |||||||
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The battles of Bohorodychne and Krasnopillia were a series of military engagements in and around the villages of Bohorodychne and Krasnopillia , 20 kilometers north of the city of Sloviansk, between the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and their allies during the offensive in eastern Ukraine as part of the battle of Donbas.
Background
Russian forces captured Izium, a strategic city railway intersection in eastern Kharkiv Oblast.[2][3][4] The following day in an interview for Ukrinform, Izium's Deputy Mayor Volodymyr Matsokin claimed that 80% of the city's residential buildings had been destroyed and that there was no power, heating, or water in the city due to the recent battle. Days later, during the Battle of Donbas which both Russia and Ukraine shifted their resources towards, Kreminna became the first city to fall to the Russians and separatists on 18 April. The Governor of Luhansk Oblast, Serhiy Haidai, reported that 200 civilians were killed, although casualty numbers could be much higher than reported. Ukrainian officials reported on 25 April that Russian forces were killed in a gas explosion in the Russian-occupied Kreminna City Hall.[5] On May 27 and June 8 respectively, the last Ukrainian-controlled cities north of the Donets river, Lyman and Sviatohirsk, fell to Russian and separatist forces.[6] After gaining control of these cities, the battlefield shifted to the forests and villages between Izium and Sloviansk, which includes the villages of Dovhenke, Bohorodychne, and Krasnopillya .
Bohorodychne and Krasnopillia are strategic due to their location south of the Donets river. Since late May, Russian forces had been able to capture all Ukrainian-held towns north of the river, although their attempts to bridge across it were foiled by Ukrainian forces. By capturing Bohorodychne and Krasnopillia, Russian and separatist forces would be able to push southwards to Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, two of the last major Ukrainian-held cities in Donetsk Oblast and a major focus in the battle of Donbas.[7][8] Sloviansk Mayor Vadim Liak made calls on July 6 for residents to evacuate due to recent increases in shelling in civilian areas and the possibility of fighting occurring in the city.
Battle
Initial offensives towards the towns
The first offensive towards Krasnopillia began on June 7, when combined Russian and LPR forces launched an offensive through the forests south of Izyum, Sviatohirsk, Synychyne, and Studenok towards the city of Sloviansk, but were stopped at Bohorodychne and Krasnopillia.[2] On June 17, Russian and LPR forces relaunched the offensive, this time attempting a more serious breakthrough near the towns, although this was pushed back by a Ukrainian counteroffensive.[9][10] On June 24, Russian artillery targeted civilian infrastructure near Bohorodychne, Krasnopillia, and surrounding villages.[11] Russian and LPR forces attempted another breakthrough six days later on June 30, but were unsuccessful.[12]
The next Russian offensive was on July 7, when Russian forces launched an unsuccessful attack on Bohorodychne, Krasnopillia, and the nearby village of Dolyna. That same day, Russian forces also unsuccessfully tried to bypass Barvinkove from the east with the intention of cutting the E40 Izium-Sloviansk highway, a key supply route for Ukrainian troops.[13] A major offensive took place in Krasnopillia on July 11 and 12, with fierce shelling taking place in Dibrivne, Mazanivka, Adamivka, and Kurulka, all villages near Bohorodychne and Krasnopillia.[14][15] The following day, on July 13, further Russian attacks were repelled from the northern part of Krasnopillia and Dolyna, reportedly in an attempt to further cut off the Izium-Sloviansk highway.[16]
Russian offensives against Bohorodychne and Krasnopillia renewed unsuccessfully on July 17 and 18, with heavy shelling taking place against the towns and nearby settlements.[17][18] Shelling resumed again at Bohorodychne, Krasnopillia, and surrounding villages on July 21.[19] On July 26, Russian forces began another offensive against Krasnopillia and Bohorodychne, although were again unsuccessful.[20] Attacks restarted again on July 31, when Russian forces began shelled Bohorodychne, Krasnopillia, and surrounding villages from the Russian-held village of Dmytrivka.[21]
Ukrainian counterattack
On 5 August, presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych announced that the Ukrainian army had started a new counteroffensive near Izium against Russian forces and that fighting had started again in Dovhenke.[22] The next day, there was heavy Russian bombardment in the area, including in Dovhenke;[23] this continued on 7 August.[24] Ukrainian forces also managed to capture the villages of Dibrivne and Dmytrivka in these counterattacks.[25]
On August 9, Ukrainian forces recaptured Mazanivka,[26]
Second offensives towards the towns
Russian ground offensives relaunched on August 21 south and southeast of Izium, aiming to recapture villages retaken by Ukraine in the previous weeks. Ukrainian sources reported on August 22 that Russian troops attempted to advance on Dmytrivka and Nova Dmytrivka, along with launching more attacks on Krasnopillia.[25][27]
Second Ukrainian counterattack and the fall of Izyum
On 9 September, the Russian-backed administration ordered the "evacuation" of the population from Izium, Kupiansk and Velykyi Burluk.[28] Later in the day Ukrainian forces reached Kupiansk, a vital transit hub at the junction of several of the main railway lines supplying Russian troops at the front.[29] The Institute for the Study of War said it believed Kupyansk would likely fall in the next 72 hours.[30] In response to the Ukrainian advance, Russian reserve units were sent as reinforcements to both Kupiansk and Izium.[31]
On 10 September, Kupiansk and Izium were retaken by Ukrainian forces and Ukrainian forces were reportedly advancing towards Lyman.[32][33] An advisor to the head of Kharkiv regional council, Natalia Popova, posted photos on Facebook of soldiers holding a Ukrainian flag outside Kupiansk city hall.[34] Ukrainian security officials and police moved into the recaptured settlements to check the identities of those who stayed under Russian occupation.[35] Later that day, Luhansk Oblast Governor Serhiy Haidai claimed that Ukrainian soldiers had advanced into the outskirts of Lysychansk, while Ukrainian partisans had reportedly managed to capture parts of Kreminna. The New York Times said "the fall of the strategically important city of Izium, in Ukraine's east, is the most devastating blow to Russia since its humiliating retreat from Kyiv.”[36] The Russian Ministry of Defence spokesperson Igor Konashenkov responded to these developments by claiming that Russian forces in the Balakliya and Izyum area would "regroup" in the Donetsk area "in order to achieve the stated goals of the special military operation to liberate Donbas". Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said that "The Russian army in these days is demonstrating the best that it can do — showing its back. And, of course, it's a good decision for them to run."[37] He claimed that Ukraine has recaptured 2,000 square kilometres (770 sq mi) since the start of the counteroffensive.[38]
References
- ^ "Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade Just Liberated a Village from the Russians". Forbes.
- ^ a b "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 1 | Institute for the Study of War". understandingwar.org. Archived from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ "На Київщині ЗСУ звільнили 15 населених пунктів – зведення Генерального штабу". radiosvoboda.org. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ "The russians are controlling Izyum – General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces". mil.in.ua. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ "Luhansk Military Administration: Russian occupiers and their collaborators die in an explosion in Kreminna City Hall". Pravda.com.ua. 25 April 2022. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
- ^ "Russia captures strategically important town ahead of 'next stage' of Ukraine invasion: UK intelligence". news.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ^ Gall, Carlotta; Lima, Mauricio (8 July 2022). "As Russia Looms, a Ukrainian City's Loyalties Divide". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ Terajima, Asami (6 July 2022). "Sloviansk under heavy fire as Russia's war enters new phase". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ "Institute for the Study of War". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- ^ "Russian troops attempt to capture Bohorodychne but are repelled by Ukrainian Armed Forces – General Staff report".
- ^ "Ukrainian Armed Forces defeat Russian sabotage groups, launch airstrike on large Russian troop concentration – General Staff report".
- ^ "Operational information from the regions of the Active Community Network June 30, 2022".
- ^ "Russia may be preparing attack on Ukraine's Slovyansk, Kramatorsk: report". Polskie Radio. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
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:|archive-date=
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timestamp mismatch; 16 May 2022 suggested (help) - ^ "Institute for the Study of War". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ "Ukrainian Armed Forces repel Russian assault on Krasnopillia and Mariinka General Staff report". yahoo.com. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine Army repels enemy assault in Sloviansk direction". Ukrinform. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine Army Repulses Assaults and Russia's Attempt to Conduct Reconnaissance". Kyiv Post. 17 July 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ "Russian army suffers losses on Sloviansk and Avdiivka fronts – General Staff report". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
- ^ "Russians trying to improve tactical position in Bakhmut direction". Yahoo. 21 July 2022.
- ^ "Russian forces fail to advance on the Sloviansk front, fighting continues on the Bakhmut front – General Staff report". Ukrainska Pravda. 26 July 2022.
- ^ "Invaders Suffer Losses And Retreat Near Sloviansk And Bakhmut - General Staff". Ukrainian News. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- ^ "Ми вже наступаємо", - Арестович прокоментував військову ситуацію у Харківській області
- ^ Окупанти наступали на трьох напрямках, але отримали відсіч – зведення Генштабу
- ^ Російські військові намагалися вести штурм у Харківській області
- ^ a b Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 22
- ^ Axe, David. "Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade Just Liberated A Village From The Russians". Forbes. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
- ^ Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 23
- ^ "Окупанти оголосили «евакуацію» з Ізюма, Куп'янська і Великого Бурлука на Харківщині". Слово і Діло (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
- ^ Hunder, Max; Balmforth, Tom (9 September 2022). "'Substantial victory' for Kyiv as Russian front crumbles near Kharkiv". Reuters. Archived from the original on 8 September 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
- ^ Reuters; Editing by Cynthia Osterman (9 September 2022). "Ukraine retakes settlements in Kharkiv advance - Russian-installed official". reuters.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
{{cite web}}
:|author=
has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Tim Lister, Julia Kesaieva and Josh Pennington (9 September 2022). "Russia sends reinforcements to Kharkiv as Ukrainians advance". cnn.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
- ^ "Украинские войска вошли в ранее оккупированный Купянск в Харьковской области. Также сообщается, что ВСУ взяли Изюм и наступают на Лиман". Meduza. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
- ^ Anton Troianovski (10 September 2022). "As Russians Retreat, Putin Is Criticized by Hawks Who Trumpeted His War". New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine retakes railway hub as Kharkiv counteroffensive gains ground". Yahoo Finance. 10 September 2022. Archived from the original on 11 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
- ^ Max Hunder and Vitalii Hnidyi (10 September 2022). "Ukraine troops reach railway hub as breakthrough threatens to turn into rout". reuters.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
- ^ Gibbons-Neff, Thomas; Santora, Marc (10 September 2022). "Ukrainian Offensive Seen as Reshaping the War's Contours". New York Times. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine's Zelenskyy says Russia's pullback from Kharkiv region 'a good decision'". cbc.ca. Associated Press. 10 September 2022. Archived from the original on 11 September 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
- ^ Hugo Bachega and Matt Murphy (11 September 2022). "Ukraine counter-offensive: Russian forces retreat as Ukraine takes key towns". BBC News. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.