Only a few hundred remain in Ukrainian border town as fierce battles rage amid a Russian assault

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By ILLIA NOVIKOV
Updated 8:19 AM CDT, May 13, 2024

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Only a few hundred residents remain in the embattled town of Vovchansk in northeast Ukraine, where Kyiv’s troops are locked in intense battles with the Russian army, according to local officials on Monday.

The town, whose pre-war population of 17,000 had dwindled to just 2,500 before Russia renewed its ground assault last week, has emerged as focus point as pitched battles engulf the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions.

Ukrainian local officials said they feared Vovchansk’s fate may mirror that of Bakhmut and Avdiivka, Ukrainian cities where fierce fighting and scorched earth tactics forced Ukrainian withdrawals. Only 200-300 people remain in the town, Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Suniehubov said, as Moscow’s troops advance in an effort to surround it from three directions.

Poorly built fortifications and enduring ammunition shortages enabled Russia’s sweeping advance in the area last week, local officials and soldiers said.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-kharkiv-donetzk-397dd892f936726bd1acbd45991a18a6

[electric_blue68]

1. sigh 🌻🇺🇦🌻

[cstanleytech]

3. Ukraine needs a supply of shit ton of drones so they can overwhelm and destroy the Russian infrastructure.

[maxsolomon]

4. What infrastructure? Their defensive fortifications?

This is old-school human wave attacks, aided by dense artillery fire. Think WW2 Russian Front.

Russia is betting Ukraine runs out of ammunition before they run out of conscripts. It appears to be working.

[cstanleytech]

5. All powerplants, bridges, rail stations, gas and refineries and dams

[Warpy]

6. Estonia and Latvia are going to supply military grade drones

that are superior to the Chines made hobby drones both sides are using. Estonia made the announcement a couple of months ago, Latvia in the last few days. I don't know if Ukraine forces have them yet.

A video I posted earlier detailed how this section of front/border area was left unfortified and unmined and the commander has been hauled off to Kyiv to explain just what he's been doing for the last 2 years and where the money iwent. Expect a big scandal to come out of this incursion across the border, which is all it is at this point.

The villages and settlements under attack have been mostly empty for 2 years. Most of the people are left are elderly, a few family members staying behind to care for them, and farmers who foolishly thought they'd get a harvest out of a field being criscrossed by tanks and APCs and cratered by artillery shells.