Assaults every 20-30 minutes. Russians advance on Selydove in hope to proceed toward Pokrovsk

The Russian army has reached the southern outskirts of the town of Selydove, about 20 km from Pokrovsk.

"There is no type of weaponry that the Russians haven't used against us here, except perhaps tactical nuclear weapons," Vitaly Milovidov, press officer of the 15th NGU Brigade Kara-Dag, says about the Pokrovsk sector in a comment to LIGA.net.

In the near future, the main efforts of the Russians will be concentrated precisely in the Selydovo area and in the Kurakhove sector, military-political analyst of the Information Resistance group Oleksandr Kovalenko adds.

We looked into why the Russians need Selydove and what to expect from the enemy in the future.

Why the Russians are pushing towards Selydove and Kurakhove

Over the past day, from Tuesday to Wednesday, Russian forces attacked the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove axes 103 times (a total of 166 combat engagements occurred along the entire front line).

On the Kurakhove front, the Russian troops are pressing near Hirnyk, Hostre, Antonivka, Novodmytrivka, and Katerynivka. On the Pokrovsk front, the main efforts are focused on Selydove.

"In the Selydove area, the Russians are trying to create conditions for a second wave of advance on Pokrovsk," Kovalenko told LIGA.net. "To encircle Selydove in a pincer movement."

"As long as Selydove has not captured on the Pokrovsk axis, the southern flank from the left and right banks of the Vovcha River will not be formed, and they cannot resume the offensive," the analyst noted. "But on the Kurakhove axis, they already can."

Kovalenko is more optimistic about the situation near Kurakhove. "There is a possibility to hold Kurakhove under our control until the end of the year," he believes.

On the Pokrovsk axis, the situation is much more difficult and dynamic.

Attack from three sides. What is happening near Pokrovsk

Over the past few days, the Russians have begun to use artillery more actively to suppress positions along the entire width of the front, including in the Selydove area, spokesman for the National Guard of Ukraine Ruslan Muzychuk told LIGA.net.

In its area of responsibility, the 59th Yakiv Handziuk Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade is trying to counterattack, officer of the unit Serhiy Tsekhotskyi tells LIGA.net. "Planned round-the-clock work is being carried out." At the same time, he clarified that the situation on their section of the front is "still more or less." The main efforts of the enemy are directed towards Selydove.

Two-thirds of the shelling and combat engagements on the axis fall on this town, press officer of the 15th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine Kara-Dag, Vitaliy Milovidov confirmed in a comment to LIGA.net.

The enemy is pressing on the defenders' positions from three sides. "It looks like Selydove is now their top priority. It's tough, but we're holding on," he said.

Overnight on October 20, around midnight, the Russians began a massive artillery preparation from all three sides. By the morning of Monday, they were actively storming.

"Infantry groups of five to seven soldiers, without the support of armored vehicles, but with a very short interval of 20-30 minutes, advance from three directions at once," says Milovidov.

The Russians have made the most progress from the side of Tsukuryne and Ukrainsk. Using forest belts, they managed to reach the southern outskirts of Selydove. "There is a problem in the ravine, which geographically gives the Russians an advantage. The leaves are still on the trees, and it's easier for them to move unnoticed through the lowlands and come out right near the town," he said.

Further, the Russians are trying to group on the approaches to Selydove.

"When they get into a building, they go quiet and try to accumulate there. When there are not five, but ten of them, it's easier for them to suppress fire and resist," he explained. "At the same time, some of them scatter in different directions and try to occupy neighboring buildings."

The increase in Russian reserves is strongly felt. Throughout Tuesday, October 22, clearing operations were taking place, but the enemy continued attempts to consolidate on the southern outskirts of the town: "Quite intensively. Perhaps with less powerful artillery preparation."

The Russians have also significantly increased the presence of reconnaissance UAVs. "They have driven a very large number of 'wings' into the areas of artillery presence. This constrains actions: when you see one or two 'birds' hovering above you, working is a bit of a trick," said a representative of Kara-Dag. "A very large number of FPV drones and drops. Plus, aviation and artillery are working."

The enemy is trying to disperse the defenders' forces, hoping that this will facilitate their advance to Pokrovsk. Also, the aggressor has brought much closer to the line of combat contact powerful electronic warfare systems, and it has become more difficult for Ukrainian drones to operate.

"We are doing everything possible to stop the advance of the Russians. The main blow is taken by the infantry, which, unfortunately, is somewhat lacking," Milovidov stated. "Our armored groups are working, actively going out to the southern outskirts of Selydove."

Holding the southern flank of Selydove is now one of the key tasks.

"Advance even one bush forward." The situation on the Lyman axis

The Russians are relentlessly trying to "advance even one bush forward,"  press officer of the 63rd Brigade Rostyslav Yashchyshyn told LIGA.net. Despite all their efforts and significant advantages in personnel and equipment, they have not succeeded for a long time, he noted.

Here, the Russian Federation conducts several different types of assaults. The rarest are mechanized.

"They try to conduct them when a certain number of 'tin cans' accumulates. Approximately once a week," Yashchyshyn said. "About six units of equipment plus a landing party go out. Usually, such assaults occur overnight from Saturday to Sunday. Obviously, they think we rest on Sunday."

Such assaults are quickly stopped by Ukrainian drones and artillery. Plus, remote mining, which is handled by large night drones. But this does not stop the Russian command, which directs more and more new equipment here, added the representative of the 63rd Brigade.

"First, tanks and IFVs are blown up on mines and stop. Then our artillery destroys the infantry," he said. "Parallelly, drones of different calibers work, which finish off the equipment and catch up with those who remain alive."

The Russians are trying to protect their equipment with the help of electronic warfare and "barn-like" armor, added the press officer. Because of this, the Defense Forces on the direction lose a certain percentage of drones, but "they still find gaps to bypass their obstacles."

Now, on the fields in front of the positions of the Defense Forces on the direction, hundreds of units of equipment are rotting and rusting, added Rostyslav Yashchyn: "It's interesting that the Russians feel a shortage of these 'tin cans,' so at night they try to drag something away with the help of a combat repair-evacuation machine. This equipment is also destroyed."

The second type of assaults, more constant and typical, are infantry assaults.

"Daytime ones are absolutely idiotic: the infantry has to go across an open field. Mainly, these are contract soldiers who found themselves under the threat of imprisonment for some petty crimes," said the press officer. The Russians do not know the terrain and act uncoordinatedly.

Night assaults for the Russians on the Lyman axis are usually even more unsuccessful.

"They are given such 'raincoats' or anti-thermal ponchos in the hope that night drones will not see them. This is absurd; in those black raincoats, they are perfectly visible. Here, our drones that carry drops, grenades, work," said Yashchyshyn. "And the Russians also like to crowd together, which makes our job easier. And theirs – not."

Here, the defenders have a key advantage – they know the terrain very well.

All possible routes are well-targeted; the artillery knows how to hit moving enemy equipment, and drone pilots can work almost with their eyes closed, said the officer of the 63rd Brigade: "The advantage of the enemy is that they have a lot of fresh meat. And absolutely no one cares about the fate of these soldiers."

"Sometimes there are no assaults – when the enemy licks their wounds or waits for reinforcements," added Yashchyshyn. "So that our pilots do not get bored, they fly to the enemy positions and scare the infantry wherever it is: they fly into trenches, dugouts, bunkers. Ammunition depots, fuel and lubricant materials are burned."

On the rest of the axes, according to the data of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the situation remains stably difficult for the military, but the intensity of battles there is noticeably lower. Most likely, Kovalenko assumes, the Russian army will continue to concentrate its efforts on the Kurakhove and Pokrovsk sectors in the near future.