August 30, 2023: Update on the Robotyne Sector - AFU Forces are on the outskirts of Verbove and moving towards Ocheretuvate as Russian forces withdraw to their next line of defense.Map:
@Majakovsk73
(with my overlays) View of Situation from Ukrainian Side"Our soldiers are successful in the directions Novodanidivka-Novoprokopivka and Mala Tokmachka-Verbove. Fighters are entrenched at the borders reached." — General Staff.
1) AFU Forces have reached the western outskirts of Verbove and are consolodating held positions there. There are indications that the Russians have inserted "holding forces", also called "expendables", to defend Verbove and some portions of their defensive lines to the west. This is an indication that Russian may be pulling back and consolidating its remaining "capable" forces along the second line of defense.
2) AFU forces have made progress southward towards the city town of Ocheretuvate thereby bypassing Novoprokopivka. Russians complain that the Ukrainians appear to have "found artillery shells" and their "stravation" has ended.
3) AFU forces have consolidated their gains south of Robotyne and are protecting their right flank while pressuring Novoprokopivka to the south along the Orikhiv to Tokmak Highway.
View of Situation from the Russian PerspectiveWarGonzo
In the Zaporozhye direction, fierce battles near the village of Rabotino. APU is attacking. Long-range weapons are working on both sides. Also, Ukrainian units, with powerful artillery support, are trying to break through the forest plantations, bypassing the village to Novoprokopovka.
In parallel, they are conducting similar operations to the west of Verbovoye. For the Armed Forces of Ukraine in these areas "all or nothing." For the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation there is a retreat to the next line of defense. Under the blows of Ukrainian units in Lukyanovsky, Stepnoy (not to be confused with the settlements of the same name in the Ugledarsky and Donetsk directions), Shcherbaki, Novodanilovka, Malaya Tokmachka, Charovna and Malinovka.
Russian - in Zherebyanki, Nesteryanka, Kopany, Rovny, Ilchenkov, Sladkaya Balka, Novopokrovka and Novofedorovka. In fact - on a narrow section of the LBS.