Siversk In A Vise: Russian Forces Tighten The Encirclement Of Ukrainian Garrison

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Russian units are poised to sever the R-85 highway, a critical supply route for Ukrainian forces in Huliaipole. The encirclement of Ukrainian troops in Siversk is steadily tightening. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has stated that the conflict in Ukraine could end in the near future.

Zaporizhzhia Sector

Advanced units of the 114th Regiment of the Russian army are advancing towards Varvarka, near which the R-85 highway runs. This highway serves as a supply route for Huliaipole.

Following the establishment of control over Orestopol, mopping-up operations are continuing over a vast area to the north of Sosnovka. Once these operations are complete, this will open the way for an advance towards the settlement of Bolshaya Mikhailovka.

In the central sector, combat operations are ongoing in the vicinity of Novoaleksandrovka, Danilovka, and Pervomayskoye. Russian assault units are advancing west and northwest along tree lines. In the Sladkoye area to the south, assault groups are also continuing offensive operations towards Dobropolye. From the Malinovka sector, Russian units have advanced towards the settlements of Veseloye, Zeleny Gai, and Vysokoye. Having taken control of several tree lines on the approaches to these settlements, the assault groups have begun combat operations there.

Units of the Russian «Dnepr» Group of Forces have advanced in the western (area of Lenin and Sadovaya streets) and eastern (area of the eastern parts of Sovetskaya and Druzhby streets and the Tselinny Plot Botanical Reserve) parts of Stepnogorsk, as well as in the central part of Primorskoye, overcoming resistance.

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Units of the «East» Group of Forces are advancing in the south of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and the east of the Zaporizhia Oblast, to the east and northeast of Huliaipole. From the Malinovka and Poltavka sectors, Russian units have advanced westward towards Veseloye and Zeleny Gai, occupying the dominant heights around elevation 155.6. To the northeast of Huliaipole, strongpoints south of Yablukovo have been cleared, and units have advanced towards the Grushevoye tract.

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Pokrovsk Sector

Adverse weather conditions over the past week have hindered aerial reconnaissance and the use of strike UAVs, influencing the nature of the fighting. In the north of Pokrovsk, Russian forces have advanced towards Hryshyne.
In Mirnograd, combat operations are underway in several districts. In the north of the city, Russian units have advanced from the green zone around Mukhamadeeva and Rudnichnaya Streets and Ukrainsky Lane, striking southern and southeastern sectors. In the northeastern part of the city, advancement was noted from the Shosseynaya Street area towards the «Vostochny» microdistrict. Fighting continues in the «Vostochny» and «Molodezhny» microdistricts in the eastern part of the city. Russian assault units have advanced into the microdistrict buildings, most of which are now under their control. The advancing units are moving towards the assault groups operating in the area around 1 May and Kolodeznaya Streets.

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In the south of Mirnograd, assault units are advancing along the southern edge of the «Zapadny» microdistrict towards the «394 km» platform. They are also moving towards groups advancing on the microdistrict from that sector. Ukrainian strongpoints remain between the southern part of the city and Sukhy Yar. To complete the operation in this area, the assault units need to advance approximately 500 metres and establish control over around 15 buildings. In the Rovnoye settlement, Russian units have consolidated their position in the south.

Dnepropetrovsk Sector

Russian units managed to eliminate a salient in the northern part of the front near Dachnoye and straighten the front line along the Orekhovo-Filiya settlement line. Several attacks involving equipment were carried out in favourable weather conditions, resulting in consolidation of the units’ position in the eastern part of Novopavlovka. They now control most of the southeastern part of Novopavlovka on the left bank of the Solenaya River, which includes Karpinsky Street. According to available data, tank units have broken through to the northeastern outskirts of Novopavlovka.

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Combat operations are also ongoing in the area surrounding the Novonikolayevka and Muravka settlements. On the right flank of the sector, Russian units are attacking Novopodgorodnoye from the Lenino sector and Sergeyevka from the Udachnoye sector. On the left flank, units advanced through the forest from the Ivanovka sector towards Podgavrilovka and north of Ivanovka, where they are repelling counterattacks.

Sumy Sector

In the Sumy sector, Russian assault units are advancing deeper into the oblast along a series of tree lines. They continue to advance on three fronts, taking control of several tree lines. The total advance was up to 300 metres. In the Andreyevka area, an attempt by the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ 225th Separate Assault Battalion to deploy a combat group was thwarted by fire. In the Sadki area, reports indicate Ukrainian servicemen from the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade have left their positions.

Kharkiv Sector

The intensity of strikes on positions in Vovchansk and the Khatny sector is increasing, with aviation supporting the advancing units. In Vovchansk, on the left bank of the Volchya River, units have advanced 350 metres eastwards into the private sector. According to incoming reports, units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ 57th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade are retreating from their positions and changing into civilian clothing. In the forest to the west of Sinelnikovo, assault units advanced 200 metres into the forest and occupied one of the positions. In the Melovoye-Khatnye area, the control zone has been expanded with an advance of 500 metres along the tree line. Aviation struck the positions of the 3rd Operational Purpose Regiment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine in the Kolodeznoye area.

Siversk Sector

The Ukrainian Armed Forces in Siversk are gradually losing control of their area, with their main logistical routes under fire from Russian units.

Fierce fighting continues in Yampol in the northern sector. Unmanned aerial vehicles are being used extensively to contain the offensive. Attempts to transfer equipment and personnel are being thwarted, with most of the equipment destroyed en route to the settlement. In the Dronovka area, the advance is taking place along the railway line towards Siversk, where there is also high UAV activity.

In the Siversk area, work is ongoing to capture and clear a large fortified area to the east of the city. In the south, units are taking systematic action to level the front line on the Zvanovka–Vyemka section.

Conclusion

As of 16 November, the operational situation on the main fronts is characterised by the steady advance of Russian units, although pockets of resistance remain in some sectors of the front. In the Zaporizhzhia sector, the successful offensive along the Dnepropetrovsk-Zaporizhzhia oblast border creates the preconditions for the encirclement of Huliaipole from the north. In the Pokrovsk sector, significant progress has been made in establishing control over the city limits of Pokrovsk and Mirnograd, with mopping-up operations continuing in the microdistricts. In the Dnepropetrovsk sector, the front line is being levelled and consolidated in the eastern part of Novopavlovka. In the Sumy and Kharkiv sectors, a methodical advance is continuing, accompanied by intensive artillery and air strikes and the expansion of the control zone. In the Siversk sector, local battles are ongoing, gradually narrowing the control zone around the Siversk grouping. Overall, the dynamics indicate that Russian units retain the operational initiative on most fronts.

Alongside the ongoing hostilities, discussions about prospects for a settlement are growing on the international stage. In an interview with Axel Springer Media Group CEO Mathias Döpfner, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that the conflict in Ukraine could end in the near future. ‘I think we are very close to achieving peace,’ Orbán noted. He believes that a unified position from the West is necessary for achieving peace, but that currently, Europeans do not want peace as they are expecting an improvement in the situation on the ground for Kyiv and more favourable conditions for negotiations.

The Hungarian Prime Minister sharply criticised this position, stating: «The situation and the time are now better for the Russians than for us. Do not continue. Stop it as soon as possible». He also characterised Ukraine as a country that ‘has no chance of winning the war, but at the same time there is a high level of corruption.’ Orbán emphasised that the conflict in Ukraine is «killing the European Union economically and financially» and described the actions taken by the West as «economically and financially insane». Previously, the Hungarian Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, stated that the country’s authorities would not allow the «Ukrainian mafia» into the European Union. This creates an additional political context for discussing Ukraine’s future in Europe.

MORE ON THE TOPIC:

• Ukraine’s Deserter Numbers Near The Size Of Its Active-Duty Army
• Russian Offensive On The Zaporizhzhia Axis: Gains Near Huliaipole And Orikhiv Reshape The Front
• Russian Army Makes Gains In Myrnohrad And Shakhove Near Pokrovsk (Videos)

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