Ukraine Forces Capture 30 Russian Troops in Donetsk Village Operation During Ukraine Conflict
Ukraine's Special Operations Forces liberated the village of Andriivka-Klevtsove in Donetsk Oblast during the Ukraine conflict, forcing 30 Russian troops to surrender while eliminating those who resisted. [1]
Special Operation in Andriivka-Klevtsove
Ukraine's Special Operations Forces have revealed details of an operation to liberate the village of Andriivka-Klevtsove in Donetsk Oblast. [1] Russian troops had been trying to capture the settlement, formerly known by its Soviet name of Iskra, on the Oleksandrivka front for a long time using small groups. [1] They gradually infiltrated the village and took up positions. [1] Soldiers from the 3rd Regiment of the Special Operations Forces, working with one of the SOF psychological operations centres, carried out a comprehensive operation to liberate the settlement. [1] The video posted by the SOF shows the ground phase of the operation: the advance of special forces, the displacement of Russian troops from their positions, and the re-establishment of Ukrainian control over the territory. [1] The timeframe of the special operation was not disclosed. [1] Thirty Russian servicemen were forced to surrender. [1] Those who continued to resist were wiped out. [1] Andriivka-Klevtsove is once again under Ukrainian control. [1]
Russian Information Operation Using AI Videos
Russia is trying to cover up problems in Dnipropetrovsk region with AI videos and other tricks. [2] Last week, Ukraine announced that since the start of the year, it had managed to liberate 26 villages and 745 square kilometres of territory at the junction of the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk regions. [2] This section of the front is generally referred to as the Oleksandrivka direction. [2] Russia deployed various tools in its information operation, including AI videos. [2] The first map lists the settlements that the Ukrainian army considers liberated. [2] In the following days, however, Russia began publishing videos intended to prove that its forces were still present in all of these settlements. [2] Using them, the Russian Telegram channel Rybar created its own map, marking 21 of the 26 allegedly liberated villages. [2] A soldier carrying a Russian flag appeared in each of them. [2] Several accounts analysed the Russian images and found that at least some of them were fabrications. [2] French analyst Clément Molin calculated that eight of the 20 videos in the compilation were fake — containing an incorrect date or location, or being AI-generated. [2] It is almost certainly inaccurate to describe all 26 settlements as liberated, as Russia is able to infiltrate some of them with its soldiers. [2] However, its claims are clearly false and far less accurate than Ukrainian claims and independent analyses. [2]
Ukrainian special forces advance during operation to liberate Andriivka-Klevtsove village in Donetsk Oblast. — Source: euobserver
Daily Combat Clashes Across Front Lines
A total of 236 combat clashes have occurred on the battlefield over the past day, with the highest number of Russian assaults recorded on the Pokrovsk front, where Ukrainian defenders stopped 33 Russian attacks. [5] On the North Slobozhanshchyna front and in the operational zone in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian defenders stopped one Russian assault. [5] The Russians launched two airstrikes, using six guided aerial bombs, and conducted 44 strikes on Ukrainian positions and settlements, including two from multiple-launch rocket systems. [5] On the South Slobozhanshchyna front, Ukrainian units repelled 17 Russian attacks. [5] The Russians attempted to advance near the settlements of Lyman, Kozacha Lopаn and Izbytske and towards Okhrimivka, Kruhle and Dvorichanske. [5] On the Kupiansk front, three Russian attacks were recorded near the settlements of Kupiansk and Kurylivka and towards Novoplatonivka. [5] On the Lyman front, Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attempts to break through their defences, with the Russians launching eight attacks near the settlements of Lyman and Dibrova and towards Karpivka, Ridkodub, Novoselivka and Drobysheve. [5] On the Sloviansk front, the Russians conducted 20 assaults near the settlements of Kryva Luka, Zakitne and Riznykivka and towards Rai-Oleksandrivka and Mykolaivka. [5] On the Kramatorsk front, the Russians conducted three attacks towards the settlements of Yurkivka and Dibrova. [5] On the Kostiantynivka front, 26 Russian attacks were recorded. [5] The Russians conducted assaults near the settlements of Kostiantynivka, Illinivka and Ivanopillia and towards Rusyn Yar, Novoselivka and Stepanivka. [5] On the Pokrovsk front, the highest number of Russian assaults was recorded, with Ukrainian defenders stopping 33 Russian attacks. [5] The Russians were active near the settlements of Bilytske and Serhiivka and conducted assaults towards Svitle, Kucheriv Yar, Novyi Donbas, Shevchenko, Novohryshyne, Myrne, Udachne, Molodetske, Novopidhorodne and Novopavlivka. [5] On the Oleksandrivka front, the Russians conducted one attack towards the village of Yehorivka. [5] On the Huliaipole front, the Russians conducted 19 attacks. [5] They attempted to advance near the settlements of Hirke, Zaliznychne and Huliaipilske and towards Charivne, Rivne, Rizdvianka and Kopani. [5] On the Orikhiv front, Ukrainian defenders stopped one Russian attempt to advance towards the village of Novoiakovlivka. [5] On the Prydniprovske front, the Russians did not conduct any assaults. [5]
Ukrainian Strike on Samara Rocket Factory
Flamingo missiles struck a factory in Samara where rockets for Russia’s Starlink were being produced. [2] The factory is called Progress and is part of the Russian company Roscosmos. [2] Volodymyr Zelensky was among the first to report it in a post on Saturday, indicating the importance Ukraine attached to the event. [2] Today, there are new significant results from our deep strikes. [2] In Russia’s Samara region, one of the key enterprises within Roscosmos – the Progress Center, which was involved, among other things, in electronics production – was hit. [2] Flamingo missiles were used. [2] The factory is located 930 kms from Ukraine and, among other things, produces Soyuz-2 rockets. [2] One of them launched 16 Rassvet-3 system satellites into space on 23 March. [2] Two Flamingo missiles reached their target. [2] According to several sources, including the Russian Telegram channel Veteran’s Notes, they struck a hall where the final phase of rocket assembly was under way. [2] The same author claimed that two of six Flamingos had managed to reach the factory under the cover of a large-scale Ukrainian drone raid. [2] Veteran’s Notes described the cruise missile, also known as the FP-5, as a “serious challenge” for Russian air defences. [2] This is due to its very low flight altitude and low cost, which enables mass production. [2] Russia estimates its production at 60 to 100 units per month. [2]
Ukrainian special forces advance during operation to liberate Andriivka-Klevtsove village in Donetsk Oblast. — Source: cnn
Developments Near Orikhiv and Broader Context
What we know after one week about the Russian incursion towards Orikhiv. [2] Exactly seven days after the start of the incursion, the situation remains fluid in the south. [2] Ukrainian military analyst Kostiantyn Mashovets said of the situation in the Oleksandrivka sector that the Ukrainian army command faced a difficult decision over how to proceed. [2] Very limited forces had been attacking in the Oleksandrivsk direction, and their advance had slowed, while Russia continued its attempts to capture the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration further east. [2] Mykhailo Drapatyi therefore faces a choice between continuing the offensive with limited forces and resources in the Southern Strategic Operational Zone, with rather questionable prospects, and focusing on repelling the Russian offensive in the Eastern Strategic Operational Zone. [2]
Air Defence and Missile Tracking
The chances of a missile attack on Kyiv that night were around 50%, according to the administrator of a social media channel monitoring Russian air raids. [4] His channel, Aeris Rimor — roughly derived from the Latin for Searcher of the Skies — is one of dozens sending real-time messages about incoming drones and missiles. [4] Ukrainians consult them to track potential Russian attacks, like people check weather applications for storms but with less certainty, shorter warning, and deadly stakes. [4]
What to watch next: Russian attempts to cover up problems in the Dnipropetrovsk region with further AI videos and the ongoing choice facing Ukrainian command between limited offensives in the south and repelling attacks in the east.
