Ukrainian Forces Close to Cutting Off Russian Salient in Northern Donetsk
Ukrainian forces are close to cutting off a Russian salient in northern Donetsk near Kolodiazi, using a rare successful mechanised assault on Independence Day that penetrated three kilometres with infantry fighting vehicles.
Ukrainian Mechanised Assault in Donetsk
The Ukrainian 3rd Army Corps conducted a mechanised assault with four infantry fighting vehicles that advanced three km deep, deployed infantry and returned safely, enabled by drone-artillery cooperation on a drone-dominated battlefield. [1] Manoeuvre warfare is not dead, and on Independence Day Ukraine proved it on a limited scale, according to Ukrainian veteran Dmytro Putiata. [1] One Ukrainian brigade used four infantry fighting vehicles during an assault that penetrated as much as three km deep, deployed infantry, and saw all the vehicles return on a perfect sunny day when drones are constantly flying around and attacking something. [1] This involved only three km and four pieces of heavy equipment, yet the circumstances have changed completely and given the current reality on a front entirely dominated by drones, this can genuinely be described as a successful mechanised operation. [1] It had been enabled by cooperation between drones and artillery. [1] The battlefield was prepared for it, Putiata said on his account without providing further details. [1]
Risk to Russian Salient Near Lyman
Ukrainian efforts target the elimination of the Russian 20th Army’s bridgehead on the western bank of the Zherebets river through counter-attacks in the Lyman direction. [1] Russian sources including Rybar and analysts such as Thorkill and Black Bird Group report Ukrainian counter-attacks in the Lyman direction aimed at eliminating the Russian 20th Army’s bridgehead on the western bank of the Zherebets river. [1] The Polish analytical account Thorkill claimed that the Ukrainian army’s 3rd Army Corps is close to eliminating the Russian 20th Army’s bridgehead on the western bank of the Zherebets river, with a Ukrainian assault on the Kolodiazi area under way from both the north and the south. [1] The Finns at Black Bird Group indicated an attack from the north in two directions near Kolodiazi. [1] If the operation succeeds, risks that the Russians would push further west, bypassing Lyman and together with it Sloviansk and Kramatorsk from the north, will be at least temporarily averted. [1] The significance of this counter-offensive may be even greater because if it can indeed be brought to a successful conclusion it will prevent the Russians from attempting a breakthrough in Donbas north of Sloviansk. [1]
Ukrainian mechanised assault advances three kilometres into Russian lines near Kolodiazi in Donetsk. — Source: anadolu
Russian Advances Toward Kramatorsk
Russian forces are eight and a half km from Kramatorsk’s eastern boundary and have established bridgeheads beyond the Siverskyi Donets–Donbas canal at Malynivka and Tykhonivka, but Ukrainian defences and engineering obstacles block further linkage. [1] In the Kramatorsk-Sloviansk direction the enemy advanced in the areas of Tykhonivka, Malynivka and south of Dibrova. [1] Attacks are continuing along the Siverskyi Donets–Donbas canal towards Vasutynske and Nykanorivka as well as around Rai-Oleksandrivka and Dovhyi Forest. [1] Malynivka and Tykhonivka lie on the western bank of the canal, meaning the Russians have already established positions beyond this obstacle and both settlements will serve them as bridgeheads for further advances towards the city. [1] A strong Ukrainian defensive position blocks them from linking up the salients at Malynivka and Tykhonivka, with a belt containing an anti-tank ditch and other engineering obstacles immediately beyond the villages. [1] The Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration is thus slowly but surely reaching the point at which direct fighting for both cities will begin. [1]
Clashes in Yemen and Haiti
In parallel, at least 47 people were killed and 22 injured in a gang raid on a Port-au-Prince neighbourhood in Haiti, while Yemeni government forces clashed with Houthis north of Taiz. [2] [3] Yemeni media reports fierce clashes north of the city of Taiz amid heightened tensions. [2] At least 47 people were killed and 22 more injured in an overnight gang raid on a neighbourhood overlooking Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince, the UN said on Monday, prompting anger over the lack of protection from repeated deadly attacks. [3]
Maritime Incidents in the Strait of Hormuz
In the Strait of Hormuz, 68 maritime incidents over six months of US-Israeli conflict with Iran have killed 20 seafarers or port workers, with half involving tankers and the rate fluctuating according to peace-talk phases. [5] The Strait of Hormuz has been the main focus of the six-month war by the US and Israel against Iran, with many commercial vessels targeted in the vital conduit for oil and gas shipments. [5] In total 68 incidents have been confirmed by the International Maritime Organisation in the Gulf and neighbouring bodies of water, the equivalent of one every 2.6 days. [5] Across all incidents at least 20 seafarers or port workers were reported killed, 35 wounded and one missing. [5] About half of the incidents have involved tankers, 20 percent container ships and 15 percent bulk carriers. [5] The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations classified 47 of the incidents as attacks. [5] The rate of incidents has ebbed and flowed during the various phases of the US-Israeli war. [5] From the outbreak of war at the end of February until an agreement establishing a framework for peace talks was struck in mid-June an incident was reported on average once every 2.3 days. [5] As peace talks continued until around July 7 that rate halved to one incident every 4.6 days on average, with no seafarers or other workers reported killed missing or injured during this period. [5] Since talks collapsed the rate has climbed almost back to pre-talks levels with an incident recorded on average every 2.8 days. [5]
Gaza Ceasefire Violations
Two Palestinians died of injuries from Israeli fire in Gaza since the October ceasefire, bringing totals to 1,286 killed and 4,257 injured. [4] At least 1,286 Palestinians killed and 4,257 injured by Israeli fire since October ceasefire, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. [4]
What to watch next: Ukrainian counter-attacks near Kolodiazi may determine whether the Russian salient can be eliminated before further linkage attempts across the canal, while incident rates in the Strait of Hormuz continue to track phases of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
