File image.
The Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies “Rubicon” announced on December 26 that it has destroyed more than two dozen Ukrainian armored vehicles which were gathered in the Kostiantynivka direction in Donetsk in a well-planned special operation.
The gathering was near the city of Druzhkivka, a logistics and command hub of Kiev forces located right to the north of the city of Kostiantynivka where the Russian military’s Yug [South] Group of Forces is currently advancing.
Rubicon said that the gathering was discovered by one of its drone pilots on December 20, and was quickly targeted in an attack that went on for hours.
“A series of strikes on the armored vehicles were carried out by drones. The destruction was completed by strikes with cluster munitions, which were adjusted by Rubicon drones. The destruction of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ armor continued until nighttime,” the center said in a post on Telegram.
According to the center, at least eleven main battle tanks, including two Soviet-made T-64BVs, one Soviet-made T-72, three Soviet-made T-80Us and one German-made Leopard 1A5, were among the armored vehicles destroyed during the operation.
The armored vehicles were likely gathered near Druzhkivka as a part of preparations by Kiev forces to launch a counterattack nearby, possibly to expel Russian troops from Kostiantynivka.
The Tsentr Group of Forces has been fighting in the southern part of Kostiantynivka for a while, but in recent days it broke through a Ukrainian defense line to the east of the city and stormed into its southeastern district. This likely caused some panic in Kiev.
Ukrainian military expert Konstantin Mashovets warned on December 26 that the situation in Kostiantynivka was “not particularly pleasant”.
He confirmed that the Tsentr Group of Forces is now very much in control of the area between Stupochka and Predtechino to the southeast of the city, including several dominant heights there. The latest breakthrough begins exactly from there.
The situation of Kiev forces to the southwest of Kostiantynivka is not any better. Russian troops made significant gains around Stepanovka in recent days, securing an area of over six square kilometers to the south of the settlement. We could soon see a breakthrough from this area.
Rubicon and other drone units aiding the Tsentr Group of Forces have been facilitating advance all around Kostiantynivka, by targeting every movement by Kiev forces, all the up to Druzhkivka.
Kostiantynivka is a large industrial city with high-rise buildings, factories and other structures that favors the defenders. However, Ukrainian troops fighting there are facing increasing pressure, and taking heavy losses. Eventually, a collapse could take place.
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