US watchdog group says Ukrainian forces counterattack, returning positions near Kreminna

Maria Vlasova

Source: ISW

According to analysts from the Institute for the Study of War, the Ukrainian military, after a series of successful counterattacks to the west of Kreminna in the Luhansk region, returned part of the positions previously captured by the occupation army of the Russian Federation.

What is known about the situation on the eastern front

Analysts note that recently, the criminal army of the Russian Federation managed to advance south of Kreminnaya.

The ISW emphasizes that the Russian occupiers have made little progress south of BIlohorivka.

One of the Russian military commanders stated that the Russian Federation's occupation army is currently fighting for tactical heights in the quarry area and has captured limited positions there.

Russian sources also claimed that there was fierce fighting in the area of Terny (west of Kreminna) but that Russian troops were losing limited positions due to constant Ukrainian counterattacks.

Positional battles on April 9 also took place in the Bakhmut area without confirmed changes in the front line.

According to Lt. Col. Nazar Voloshyn, the representative of the "Khortytsia" security guard, the Russian Federation's criminal army continues its attacks involving a vast number of infantry to the east of Chasiv Yar.

He noted that the Russians are transferring infantry to BMPs to carry out assaults on Ukrainian positions without equipment with the support of artillery.

Positional battles continued:

to the northeast of Bakhmut in the area of Verkhnokamyanske, Spirne and Rozdolivka;
to the west of Bakhmut in the Nove district (immediately east of Chasiv Yar);
to the south-west of Bakhmut in Stupochky, Klishchiivka and Andriivka.

ISW analysts also add that to ensure the advance of its troops in the area of Chasiv Yar, the occupying army of the Russian Federation continues to strike Ukrainian military positions with heavy aerial bombs.

A Russian blogger stated that Su-25 attack aircraft of the Russian Air Force are delivering heavy FAB-250 guided bomb strikes against Ukrainian fortifications in Chasiv Yar and are also using S-8 and S-13 missiles to destroy Ukrainian fortifications in Chasiv Yar.

Analysts also record the probable advance of the Russian invaders to the west of Avdiivka and the alleged capture of Pervomaiskyi, which is southwest of Avdiivka.

Geolocated footage released on April 9 shows that Russian troops have advanced across fields northeast of Netailove (just west of Pervomaiske).

The hostilities also continued :

to the northwest of Avdiivka in the area of Novobakhmutivka and Berdychiv;
to the west of Avdiivka in the Umansky district;
to the southwest of Avdiivka in the Nevelsky district.

According to one of the Ukrainian soldiers stationed at the front in the Avdiyivka area, Russian war criminals are currently trying to capture Semenivka, carrying out attacks on five to seven infantrymen both from the east and the north.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine emphasised that Russian troops have not carried out mechanized attacks near Semenivka in recent days and usually use BMPs to transfer small infantry groups to the front line.

He also added that the Russian Air Force carries out 25-30 planned bombing raids per day in the direction of Avdiyivka.

Analysts claim that the criminal army of the Russian Federation is advancing to the west and southwest of Donetsk.

It is noted that the occupiers managed to achieve success along Vatutina Street in the southeast of Krasnohorivka.

However, it is indicated that the Ukrainian military probably managed to restore their positions in Krasnohorivka.

The Command of the Airborne Forces of Ukraine noted that over the past three days, Ukrainian forces destroyed more than 18 Russian vehicles of various types in Novomykhailivka, including three tanks and eight combat vehicles.

Positional battles continued:

to the west of Donetsk in the district of Georgiivka;
southwest of Donetsk in the Novomykhailivka and Pobieda area.
Limited positional fighting continued on April 9 near the border of the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, but there were no confirmed changes on the front line.
Ukrainian military sources reported on positional battles near Urozhany and Staromayorsky (both south of Velyka Novosilka).

What is known about the situation on the southern front

Positional battles continued:

near Robotyne, Mala Tokmachka (northeast of Robotyne);
to the northwest of Verbove (to the east of Robotyne).

Also, as analysts note, positional battles continued on April 9 in the Krynky area on the left bank of the Kherson region, but without confirmed changes to the front line.