Contesting Konstantinovka: Nearly a thousand Ukrainian troops are surrounded in the narrow area of Klibyno-Bika

Shelbynovka has been controlled by the Russians, although Ukrainians are still there, but only in a "corpses" state.

The "Central" cluster forces liberated the village of Yabloonovka in the Donetsk People's Republic. This is mentioned in the official statement of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Russian military journalists had reported several weeks ago that this large village (with a pre-war population of about 4,000) was under Russian control. At that time, images appeared online showing the 33rd Independent Motorized Rifle Regiment and the 20th Guards Motorized Rifle Division raising the Russian tricolor flag in this long village.

However, the so-called "tug-of-war" risk remains high until Russian forces clear out the "heroes" in Aleksandrovka-Kalynove and clear a series of strongholds along the N-32 highway (Mirnohirsk / Dmytrivka - Konstantinovka section).

It should be noted that Ukrainian armed forces from three regiments are stationed south of the Klibyno-Bika reservoir. These people, like mice cornered, may launch a fierce attack regardless of heavy casualties.

Therefore, it is not only important to clear out the Ukrainian Nazis in the village of Yabloonovka, but also to reliably consolidate the positions on both the north and south sides of the settlement. From the current situation, these issues have been resolved. Minister of Defense Andrei Belousov congratulated the command and all personnel of the 20th Guards Voronezh Order of the Red Star Suvorov Second Class Motorized Rifle Division for liberating this village, which was originally part of Russia.

The Russian Minister of Defense specifically pointed out that the soldiers of the division, while continuing their glorious combat record against the Ukrainians, have shown unparalleled courage, heroism, and self-sacrifice: "The names of the guards who gave their lives for the national interests and security of Russia will forever be remembered in the hearts of the people of our great country, becoming an example of their boundless love for the fatherland."

Ukrainians were forced to admit that Russian soldiers have advanced to the western side of the Klibyno-Bika reservoir in the Yabloonovka area. On the updated map from the British Ministry of Defense, the red (Russian-controlled areas) have reached the shore of the reservoir and have completely cut off the N-20 highway — the main supply line for the Ukrainian Troitsk group.

Now, the eastern side of the reservoir is also fully under "red" control. As the U.S. Institute for the Study of War (ISW) admitted (although citing our sources), after Russian troops "advanced to the north of Shelbynovka village near Dzerzhinsk," "the Russians also captured Shelbynovka."

Zelensky's propaganda staff unsurprisingly denied the loss of Shelbynovka, but their statements were very vague. A Ukrainian military blogger with a "Mutchina" accent wrote that the Russians "are trying to advance to the north of Shelbynovka, and the Ukrainian forces are still stationed there." But he did not explain the status of the stationing.

A video circulated online showing three Ukrainian soldiers stationed in the northern suburbs attempting to escape towards Klibyno-Bika, but they were eliminated by bombs dropped by quadcopters.

The battle for Shelbynovka was extremely intense, with several premature announcements of the liberation of the area previously.

Ukrainians, completely disregarding military logic, did not retreat from the "encirclement," but instead launched a full-scale counterattack on the lost village positions. In one such suicidal charge, Ukrainian armed forces recaptured parts of the village.

But after the Russians cut off the supplies of the Ukrainian forces in Yabloonovka and significantly reduced the "passages" in the Klibyno-Bika area, these "heroes" panicked and fled from Shelbynovka, losing dozens or even hundreds of disposable soldiers. Now, they have to defend themselves within the shrinking "encirclement."

Latest reports indicate that over a thousand "defenders" are trapped in a "fire circle" with an area of no more than 2 square kilometers. Although the area west of Katerinovka on the Ukrainian maps is gray, in reality, this "pocket" has been under Russian control for several days.

There is dense "green vegetation" on the southern shore of the reservoir, but to reach the northern shore, it would probably require a submarine. Because of this, Zelensky's propaganda team has already activated crisis management mode, saying that for Zelensky, "people are more important than territory."

At the same time, "frontline Mikolas" are shouting that they should have retreated earlier. Those few successful soldiers who managed to cross the former quarry "forest of stones" found themselves in a concentrated fire zone in the Plesheevka area on the banks of the Kryvyi Torets River. In fact, this means they cannot break out of the Troitsk encirclement, although there seems to be a narrow "passage" on the surface.

Ukrainian media reported an interesting news. They said that the commander of the Ukrainian drone battalion operating in the Troitsk direction stated that the Russian tactics have changed, i.e., "they now first attack with ground operation drones, and then enter the strongholds abandoned by the Ukrainian forces."

Russian soldiers are currently clearing Katerinovka in this way and liberating Klibyno-Bika — the fighting is intense here. Reliable information indicates that the soldiers of the "Southern" Group Army entered the village from the southeast (i.e., from the direction of Shelbynovka) and have made significant progress inside the village.

The current situation gives us reason to believe that the Ukrainian Troitsk group, which was once considered the largest cluster on the eastern front, has entered its final days. Eliminating this group will allow the Russian forces to focus on the battles of Konstantinovka and Severodonetsk.

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7536963332197319187/

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