Ukrainian Forces repel major Russian assault near Velyka Novosilka
Ukrainian forces have thwarted a powerful assault by Russian troops near Velyka Novosilka. Following substantial losses, Russian forces were forced to halt their assault, affording Ukrainian troops an opportunity to fortify defenses and brace for further attacks.
The Russian forces made three attempts to break through the defense lines of the 110th separate mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and adjacent units in the Velyka Novosilka area in Donetsk. However, they faced heavy casualties and were left with no choice but to retreat.
The first assault was large-scale, with eight armored vehicles, including a tank, armored personnel carriers, and infantry fighting vehicles deploying troops.
Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance quickly identified the column, relaying coordinates to their artillery units. Even before artillery strikes commenced, the Russian tank struck multiple mines, detonating a total of six before Ukrainian forces deployed FPV-drones. The first drone obliterated an infantry fighting vehicle following the tank, while subsequent strikes damaged the tank outfitted with anti-drone defenses.
The third strike ultimately incapacitated the vehicle. Ukrainian artillery then pounded the column, sowing chaos among Russian ranks as their armored vehicles attempted erratic maneuvers to evade further damage.
In the second attack, Russian infantry came under cluster munitions. The Russians tried an assault without armored support, which Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance again swiftly detected, prompting a retaliatory strike with cluster munitions. Ukrainian forces then deployed a grenade-dropping drone to neutralize surviving troops. Refusing to abandon their mission, the Russian command proceeded with another assault, dispatching a tank and four infantry fighting vehicles with troops. Meanwhile, an attack from a third front was launched solely by infantry, which Ukrainian artillery promptly suppressed. The few who survived this onslaught set off mines, with the remnants of the assault group being eradicated by Ukrainian firepower.
The third wave saw Ukrainians employ the Javelin missile system against a Russian tank. The new armored group, featuring a lead tank trailed by four infantry fighting vehicles and two armored personnel carriers, reached Velyka Novosilka and advanced toward Novy Komar as detected by drones. Upon nearing Ukrainian defensive positions, they struck the tank with a Javelin missile. The infantry fighting vehicles, momentarily without armor cover, undertook crew evacuation and fled.