Russia tightens siege on Kostiantynivka, opens new breakthrough in Sumy

According to battlefield sources, Russia is stepping up efforts to encircle Kostiantynivka, while opening a new attack direction on Sumy.

Russia attempts to surround Kostiantynivka

According to reports from the Ukrainian Defense Forces, a large-scale Russian offensive in the Kostiantynivka area was recently repelled. At least 18 enemy armored vehicles were destroyed and more than 100 Russian soldiers are believed to have taken part in the offensive.

According to military expert Pavlo Narozhny, this is a sign that Russia is stepping up its efforts to encircle Kostiantynivka. While a full-scale siege may not be the immediate goal, the current attacks are clearly intended to set the stage for such an operation in the near future.

Ukraine's loss of control over the strategic target of Pokrovsk is believed to have opened the way for Russia to approach Kostiantynivka from the south and create a pincer movement to encircle the entire surrounding area.

Ukrainian army on the battlefield. Photo: Reuters

In parallel, Russian forces have broken through several sections of the Myrnohrad–Kostiantynivka supply line – a vital logistical axis that ensures the flow of supplies to Ukrainian forces. This move has put significant pressure on the Ukrainian army’s rear, threatening to disrupt the supply chain of weapons, ammunition and manpower to units entrenched in the area.

"This is currently the area with the highest density of fighting on the entire front. The fact that the Russian army has deployed a large number of armored vehicles – which they have limited their use of recently due to heavy losses – shows the fierce nature of the offensive," Mr. Narozhny commented.

In the latest assault, more than 21 armored vehicles were deployed, but most of them were destroyed by artillery fire, drones, and Ukrainian defense systems. According to Narozhny, this was a “typical breakthrough” in classic military doctrine: armored vehicles break through the front line, followed by infantry. However, the failure showed that Ukraine’s defenses were still effective.

The expert added that Russia is likely to continue to concentrate its forces in this area. Kostiantynivka, Slovyansk and Kramatorsk are three obvious targets during the summer and autumn offensive, when weather conditions are favorable for large-scale advances.

However, beyond the symbolic value of controlling major cities, the strategic objective lies in logistics. Currently, Ukraine’s main supply line consists of two branches: one, the Myrnohrad–Kramatorsk line, which is under serious threat as Russia closes in on the villages east of Pokrovsk; the other, through Slovyansk and then Izyum, runs parallel to the front line. If these lines are cut, it will be extremely difficult to supply the front.

"There are not many options left to maintain logistics. Kramatorsk and Slovyansk are now the last checkpoints. If these places fall, the entire supply chain will collapse," Mr. Narozhny warned.

New Hot Spot in the North

On the northeastern front, the situation in Sumy province is also rapidly deteriorating. According to Mr. Narozhny, Russia has sent some of its most elite units and groups of modern unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Pokrovsk to supplement the forces in this area.

Notably, according to open sources, Russian forces have entered the village of Yunakivka. With dense forest terrain and interspersed villages, once Russia establishes a defensive position here, they can create a difficult “block” to dislodge, opening a path deep into the city of Sumy, which is only about 22 km away.

“Between Yunakivka and Sumy are two large villages and a large forest. If the enemy takes control of this forest area, we will have to switch from artillery and UAV warfare to pure infantry warfare – in dense foliage it is very difficult to determine the enemy’s location,” Narozhny analyzed.

"Ukraine needs to push the enemy out of Yunakivka before they consolidate there. Otherwise, the consequences will be very serious," Mr. Narozhny added.

Although no large-scale Russian armored assaults have been reported in Sumy, Narozhny said that some heavy combat vehicles such as tanks have been seen sporadically on the battlefield. However, he noted that this likely indicates that Russia is simply “probing the ground” to gauge Ukraine’s response before massing forces for a larger offensive.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/nga-siet-gong-kim-bao-vay-kostiantynivka-mo-huong-dot-pha-moi-tai-sumy-post1549370.html