According to U.S. Intelligence Officials, Ukrainian troops have broken through the Southern ring of defenses behind Robotyne, Zaporizhzia Oblast, Ukraine. Two days ago, Russian and Ukrainian military bloggers confirmed that Ukrainian troops had taken the settlement, a major stronghold along the T-04-08 which runs South towards Tokmak, one of the Ukrainian objectives of the Southern counteroffensive.
Todays reports indicate that Ukrainian troops have attacked South of the newly seized settlement and broken the hastily established Russian defenses stood up after being thrown out of Robotyne. It is important to remember that this is not a major route of Russian troops, but two successive breakthroughs in forty eight hours could be signs for optimism as Ukrainian troops push towards Tokmak.
As of 0500 EST today, Russian bloggers were claiming that Russian troops were still in Southern Robotyne. Those troops seem to have been thrown out, according to this development.
DOD official confirms Ukraine has managed to break Russia's defensive lines to the south of Robotyne. Calls it a "tangible success" but cautions it should not be viewed as a "big breakthrough." https://t.co/IUbQPqIfbY
— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) August 31, 2023
Russian military bloggers confirmed the development but also said that Russian troops are counterattacking from Verbove, where Ukrainian troops are reportedly trying to encircle those Russian troops.
The Ukrainian thrust towards Robotyne is part of the Melitopol wing of the Southern Zaporizhzia counter offensive. The other wing is aimed at the port city of Berdyansk.
On 27 July, there were widespread reports of Ukrainian troops breaching Russian defenses near Robotyne, and launching a “significant mechanized operation” to push toward the village. On 11 August geolocated footage confirmed Ukrainian forces had entered the northern portion of the village. Harsh urban combat began in the village’s center on 16 August and continued until 23 August. Russian sources claimed Ukrainian forces “have partially succeeded in bypassing Robotyne” on 20 August, and have attacked the settlements of Nesterianka and Kopani. On 23 August, the 47th Mechanized Brigade hung the Ukrainian flag over the village’s administrative offices and announced that the village was liberated, however, Russian forces persisted in the village’s outskirts. The last confirmed Russian units on this front came from the 19th Motorized Rifle Division under the 58th Combined Arms Army. On 28 August, the Ukrainian ministry of defense claimed that the armed forces had liberated the whole of Robotyne. (Wiki)
