The failed breakout operation and the fate of 11 Ukrainian special forces soldiers

Ukraine's failed breakout operation, 11 special forces were killed within 24 hours; GRU intelligence plan was exposed before G-hour.

In the war-torn northwest corner of Donetsk, every night is a dangerous one. In just 24 hours from October 30 to November 1, a breathtaking military campaign unfolded here, with brutality and drama beyond any Hollywood blockbuster.

Pokrovsk city night, only the sound of cannon fire on both sides, suddenly, the roar of a propeller tore through the night sky like a hammer, waking many people from the windows at the same time and a black shadow flew over the treetops, rushed west, disappeared into the wheat fields in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace.

Just ten minutes later, deafening explosions rang out three kilometers away, the sound seemed to tear the world apart, causing the ground to shake violently. At dawn, a statement from the Russian Armed Forces (RFAF) said that 11 Ukrainian special forces had been killed when they landed behind Russian troops.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) used two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, which the US provided in 2023, to try to insert a small, airborne force behind Russian lines northwest of Pokrovsk into a Russian logistics center.

The objective of the mission was to seize control of a key transport junction – to cut off Russian supplies or rescue trapped Ukrainian soldiers – each task was difficult. However, the reality proved brutal to the end.

Although the helicopter returned safely, none of the 11 special forces survived. The UAV footage released by the Russian Ministry of Defense early in the morning resembled an action movie. Small white dots on the thermal image screen were locked by a red circle, followed by a barrage of shells from a 152mm howitzer, immediately filling the screen with a blinding white light.

The question is why did the raid by the Ukrainian military intelligence commandos fail so quickly and catastrophically? The answer is that three sharp blades fell at the same time, stabbing straight into the AFU's decision-making center.

Intelligence is the "eyes" and "ears" of modern warfare. Losing the intelligence advantage is like groping in the dark. Just 48 hours before the operation began, a satellite image posted by the Russian Telegram channel "Military Chronicles" sounded the death knell for the Ukrainian army.

The image is framed around the exact newly dug trenches outside Pokrovsk, accompanied by the words "Welcome", with coordinates accurate to the meter. This is the exact dirt road where the Ukrainian detachment finally landed. This means that every move of the Ukrainian troops is closely monitored by Russia.

The perfect coordination between the undercover agents and the "eyes in the sky" allowed the enemy to "read" the AFU's schedule in advance, and the failure was obvious even before the operation began. In modern warfare, reconnaissance and air support are extremely important. However, the AFU's aerial reconnaissance capabilities have significantly declined this year.

Open source data released last September showed that the average daily number of AFU frontline UAV sorties has dropped by 40% compared to last year, as key resources such as batteries, cameras and operators are depleted.

The raid was originally planned to be guided by three Banshee reconnaissance UAVs, but the results were shocking. Two lost contact due to rain, and the remaining one arrived at the battlefield with only 18% battery, unable to even fire its laser designator.

Without any guidance, the AFU artillery positions were forced to fire according to coordinates, essentially firing in the dark, relying entirely on luck. However, the RFAF, with its huge reserves of artillery shells, turned this mistake into a hit, completely disrupting the Ukrainian assault.

Manpower is the most precious resource in war. According to a closed-door NATO meeting cited by the US Defense News on October 31, the ratio of AFU frontline infantry to RFAF has reached a staggering 1:8, with some breakthroughs reaching as high as 1:11.

With such severe shortages of troops, the AFU commander had to use special forces as regular infantry, turning what had initially been a meticulously planned "surgical strike" into a disjointed campaign.

Of the 11 soldiers killed in the operation, seven belonged to the same brigade reconnaissance company. They had carried out three raids on Kherson in two months, leaving them exhausted and severely depleted physically. Veterans described it helplessly: "They did not intend to launch a surprise attack; they were forced to fill the time gap."

Even more worrying for Kiev is the unusual activity of pro-Russian underground organizations in the Ukrainian-controlled areas of late, like insects waking up from hibernation, attacking everywhere. On the night of October 28, the high-voltage power line connecting Dnipropetrovsk with Zaporizhzhia exploded, plunging half the city into darkness;

In the early hours of October 29, a grain warehouse in the port of Odessa caught fire, burning 30,000 tons of corn destined for export to ashes. Meanwhile, at the same time, there was virtually no activity by “Ukrainian guerrillas” in Russian-occupied areas. So whose home turf is more secure?

VZ See source link

Original post link Copy link

https://vz.ru/society/2025/11/1/1370874.html

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/chien-dich-dot-pha-bat-thanh-va-so-phan-11-linh-dac-nhiem-cua-ukraine-post2149065902.html