File image.
On December 17, the Russian expanded its control in Dnepropetrovsk along the Haichur River by capturing another settlement, all while battling Kiev forces inside the key city of Huliapole to the south in Zaporozhye.
Gerasimovka, located on the left bank of the Haichur, was captured by the Vostok [East] Group of Forces, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, which said in a statement that the attack on the settlement was led by the 36th Guards Motorised Rifle Brigade of the 29th Army.
“Advancing along the west bank of the river, soldiers from the Far Eastern mopped up several AFU (Armed Forces of Ukraine) strongholds and took control of an area of up to two kilometres on the front line and up to a kilometre deep,” the ministry said.
“In the course of the battles, two armored fighting vehicles, 12 Baba Yaga hexacopters, and manpower of the enemy were neutralized,” it continued.
“Taking control of Gerasimovka was an important stage for units of the Vostok Group of Forces. Russian troops took hold of the area on the west bank of the Gaichur River and created conditions for further development of the offensive into [the] Dnepropetrovsk region,” the ministry added.
Gerasimovka is the second settlement on the left bank of the Haichur to be captured by the Vostok Group of Forces. The first was Pischane, located right to the south of Gerasimovka, which came under control a few days earlier. Fighting along the river is now taking place close to Zarichne to the south in Zaporozhye on the same bank.
Russian troops are also fighting on two additional points on the left bank of the Haichur in Zaporozhye: to the west of Nove Zaporizhzhya, and north of Pryluky.
In addition to the ongoing operations along the Haichur, the Vostok Group of Forces continue to expand its control in Huliapole.
Around half of the city, including the streets of Pryvitna, Zaporizka, Pivdenna, Hoholia and Vesniana, as well as the central cemetery, are reported to be under the control of Russian troops. Advance towards the city from the southern direction, namely from Dorozhnianka, also begin. A large area along the T-0401 road has been already secured.
Far to the west in Zaporizhzhya, the Vostok Group of Forces also made gains in the direction of Stepnohirsk and Prymorske.
Russian troops expanded their control to the east of Stepnohirsk, reaching the area of the solar power station. The troops are also still fighting to eliminate the Ukrainian pocket at the center of the settlement. In Prymorske, no advance was reported. Close to half of the settlement remains under the control of the Vostok Group of Forces.
All in all, Kiev forces clearly lack the needed manpower to stop Russian advance along the Haichur, inside Huliapole or in the direction of Stepnohirsk and Prymorske. The advance will not stop, and the situation will get worse for Ukraine. Still, Kiev will not likely order any retreat to save the lives of its troops.
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se a rússia tomar odessa e karkov a vitória está garantida.
it’s well established that zelensky is not going to do anything but comply with his handlers allegedly