Battle for Debaltsevo - the most fierce and fight of the Russian-Ukrainian war large-scale at the moment. It and not Ilovaysk, not Lugansk, not the Donetsk airport. These are full maneuverable military operations of the modern mechanized troops, interaction of investigation, infantry, artillery and armored machinery, means of radio-electronic and artillery investigation. The Ukrainian army for the first time in history performed successful defensive operation on the wide front, and completely carried out fighting tasks.

Debaltsevsky arch. The Ukrainian troops after 8 days of fights successfully reflected attacks of the Russian crews.

The army of the Russian mercenaries made an attempt to break all Ukrainian defense in Donbass and sharply to change the war course. And today it is possible to tell surely - approach of the opponent is successfully reflected. The enemy could not break defense of our troops, and in attempts of storm of our ukreprayon which are well covered with artillery suffered heavy losses.
At the moment active military operations on the Debaltsevsky arch for the first time in 8 days are suspended.

The parties carry out a regrouping, troops received a respite.

Strategy of actions in Russia and the forecast of approach of the opponent "the Censor.NET" in detail considered in analytical article of January 27, that I wrote all there, completely was confirmed and therefore I will not stop on an assessment of the beginning of approach, its motives, forces of the opponent, the directions of actions who wants - can look: http://slavaukraine.net/en/news/latest-news/1913-putin-s-strategy-and-january-approach-of-russia-on-donbass-analysis-of-an-operational-situation-at-the-front.html

So, Debaltsevsky arch. Why we keep this area?

It is the key base for carrying out operation against Gorlovka. And Gorlovka, in turn, is a key to Donetsk.

In what main difficulties of defense?

1. Existence of only one line of supply - the route M-103 Artemovsk - Debaltsevo.
2. Impossibility to provide the necessary density of troops on all perimeter of the base. On such wide front fighting stability of troops can be provided only in the presence of large operational reserves of the armored and mechanized troops.
3. Nebolshaya Square - all base is exposed to fire on all depth of artillery of the opponent.

What occurred on the Debaltsevsky arch? Battle course.

The Russian command concentrated two shock groups on flanks of an arch and made an attempt sudden powerful attack to cut off a debaltsevsky ledge at the basis. The so-called 3rd crew, crews "Stronghold" and "Kalmius" became a kernel of gorlovsky group, and the 4th crew "GBR the Batman" became a kernel of bryankovsky group. Also the main forces of crew "Ghost" participate in fights. These are the best divisions of "LNR" and DNR". In heavy fighting on January 23-24 the opponent managed to rush into the village Troitsk and the settlement of Svetlodarsk that posed threat for the route M-103. Obviously, was to surround with the purpose completely debaltsevsky group and to come to the road. However the Ukrainian command was prepared for such actions of the opponent. Timely counterattack of armored reserves allowed to beat out the opponent from Troitsk and it is reliable to be fixed in him. At the same time the opponent was rejected from Svetlodarsk. The enemy was rejected on all strong points - including in Chernukhino, Redkodube, Nikishino.

Battle is from the very beginning conducted with exasperation, unprecedented for the Russian-Ukrainian war. Attacks of the Russian mercenaries are preceded by powerful artillery preparation, including with application of heavy howitzers, the opponent does not feel sorry for shells.

It should be notedIt should be noted that efforts of the Russian intelligence services on recruitment of mercenaries with fighting experience, led to formation in the occupied territory in fact private military of the companies. Sharply increased fighting capacity and coordination of hired gangs, their transformation into the real military units - result of transfer of a large number of "holiday-makers".

The Russian command completed the shock parts with mercenaries with fighting experience, and the share of Russians in such professional parts, first of all tank and artillery, reaches 80-90% of staff.

The key role in reflection of attacks was played by effective actions of the Ukrainian artillery and reliable fortification constructions. The small sizes of the base allow group of the Ukrainian artillery to strike massive attacks to all perimeter of the line of defense.

Effective fire on areas of concentration of the opponent provided fighting stability of defense. The artillery is provided with ammunition and carries out demands day and night. Massaging of a gun-fire and a big expense of shells for reliable defeat of the purposes in such scale is used by our army for the first time since the beginning of war. This factor, obviously, became surprise for the opponent.

The failure of attack did not force the Russian command to refuse intention to take the road under control. The opponent acts flexibly, tries to keep fighting capacity of the fighting groups. Having faced organized resistance, the opponent departs and processes our positions artillery. Therefore, having rolled away from Troitsk and Svetlodarsk, crews of the Russian mercenaries rearranged and again advanced to the attack. Having estimated resistance force at a mouth of a debaltsevsky arch, the opponent struck blow to the south of Troitsk and Svetlodarsk.

The main forces concentrated on east face of the base. The opponent made an attempt to take a ridge of heights controlling the route M103 between Troitsk and Debaltsevo.

The opponent occupied the village of Sanzharovka and then heavy fighting was developed for height 307,9, and also the settlement the Red Plowman. Additional parts of the Russian artillery strengthened the enemy. At the same time Russian divisions of artillery investigation started calculating positions of our self-propelled artillery, and the opponent started conducting counterbattery fight.

Along with transfer of the direction of blow on east face the opponent undertook similar maneuver and on the western face of the base. Without having sufficient armored reserves, the Ukrainian command could not control all perimeter of defense. Therefore the blow undertaken on January 29 by large forces across Uglegorsk was successful for the opponent. As a result of derivation of our forces for reflection of attacks of the Russian groups on other directions, the city was covered only with small division of the Ukrainian soldiers from structure of the 13th Chernigov battalion (the former battalion of Teroborona called now motor-infantry) and the Ivano-Frankovsk special company of the Ministry of Internal Affairs "Svityaz". During defense of a post on entry into Uglegorsk the office chernigovchan showed the competent resistance to the opponent. Three Russian tanks were undermined on mines, and the fourth rushed on our positions, crushed a blindage, but was destroyed by grenade launchers together with crew is is confirmed by video reports of Russians .
However superior forces of the opponent could take a post. It is undoubted that in this episode it is necessary to investigate responsibility of officials, the senior chief who is responsible for defense of the city.

Uglegorsk was not prepared for defense, in the city strong points and anti-tank positions were not equipped. Therefore the opponent encountered first the minimum resistance. However our fighters held an extreme post on departure from the city. The small garrison in the city started correcting fire of artillery by the advanced parts of the opponent, and the gorlovsky group could not develop the success. By the way, the company of "Svityaz", contrary to many messages, was not surrounded in Uglegorsk. They remained two days undetected on the northern suburb of the city, and after check of a safe way of withdrawal out of the road our fighters orderly departed.

At the same time for counterattack reserve divisions of National guard which in interaction with army tank division successfully attacked the opponent on east suburbs of Uglegorsk were thrown. The Ukrainian command should work quickly. Having lost control over the city, it was necessary to hold down the opponent counterattacks because differently actions of gorlovsky group were unpredictable. Fighters of National guard from Kulchitsky's battalion and tankmen attacked to a descent, without preparation. It was very important and timely decision.

I cannot but note an initiative of the commander of the 25th motor-infantry battalion "Kievan Rus'" who at the first news of break to Uglegorsk itself collected fighting group for counterattack. When the order came, fighters went to fight without delay.

Speed and determination of counterattacks of the Ukrainian divisions stopped advance of the opponent. These attacks allowed the Ukrainian command to rearrange and localize possible break from Uglegorsk on Debaltsevo, to which only 14 kilometers. East suburbs of the city turned into a battlefield. Reconnaissance groups of Ukrainians attacked the opponent and in the downtown. During an air where the speaker of the Russian intelligence services and the leader of "DNR" Zakharchenko urged the Ukrainian soldiers to give up and said that by Debaltsevo it is surrounded, the Ukrainian sniper wounded one of the terrorist's security guards. The Ukrainian tankmen conducted persistent battles with armored machinery of the opponent which tried to leave Uglegorsk on Debaltsevo. And the enemy was stopped.

On January 29 after massive artillery preparation the opponent again struck blow to our knots of resistance. All positions on east face of a debaltsevsky arch underwent attacks. After the big damages put to our strengthenings of the opponent by heavy artillery, our divisions orderly departed from Nikishino. Fights in this village lasted four months and differed in special exasperation. The decision on withdrawal was justified, our troops took the prepared rear position.

Information of the People's Deputy Taras Pastukh that "National guard abandoned Debaltsevo", led to the next panic hearings, however actually the deputy saw promotion of division on other fighting task, and the bases for a panic were not any.
On February 2 intensity of fights sharply decreased. It is obvious that approach of the opponent to the Debaltsevsky arch exhausted. There was the next operational pause.

Why the opponent stopped approach? Demoralization of the Russian mercenaries of "DNR" and "LNR".

For the first time during war the Russian command recognized very big losses which actually and led to an approach suspension. The head of one of the largest recruiting points of terrorists in St. Petersburg Russian Alexander Zhuchkovsky so estimated results of approach of the opponent:
"I very much rejoice to our achievements in Debaltsevo's district. But mood now the gloomy. We sustain huge losses. Very many fighters in Peskakh-Avdeevke were lost, but as a result even departed from the positions taken earlier. And at Debaltsevo's environment of the already so many buried that some delivery of positions or, God forbid, a truce on unprofitable conditions for us is will be morally absolutely inadmissible".

It is obvious that the opponent is demoralized. It was confirmed during defeat of a big column from structure of the 4th crew "Batman" under Debaltsevo on February 1 .

As reported Granite - one of field commanders of the 4th crew in interview to the Russian bloggers conducting communities of terrorists in social networks, the column as a part of a large number of tanks, tools and infantry of the opponent left from Diamond and was ambushed the Ukrainian troops around Annovki. The Russian mercenary told that the chief of investigation of crew "Batman" enraged by terrible losses arrived on command point and shot a foot to the commander of crew - signal Diamond. Diamond with a severe wound took out to Moscow.
The gunner of the 3rd gorlovsky crew of the Russian mercenaries of "DNR" Evgeny Kryzhin wrote at himself in the blog:

"Well and bad news...
Losses of the 3rd crew near Uglegorsk rather serious. Generally - not fired which went to the first and last fight. I cannot tell exact number yet. Approximately - to 300 our people and for 1000 fennel".

Certainly, our real losses of the Ukrainian soldiers in fights for Uglegorsk - not one thousand. Thousand is much more, than all number of our fighters on that site. Fixing by the opponent of his own losses is interesting. Losses of army and National guard in fights for Uglegorsk are actually 10 times less, than losses of the opponent.

However heavy fighting and a powerful shelling were and on other sectors of the front. Unfortunately, we had losses on all strong points. The Russian artillery beat is massed.

In eight days of approach on the wide front the opponent managed to take our not less than 11 fighters prisoner. such small number of prisoners eloquently shows that no crash of defense happened. And our parts in general battled and receded in some places orderly.

Intermediate results of battle on the Debaltsevsky arch for February 2, 2015.

Approach of the opponent did not lead to resolute results as accepted nature of breakdown of the strengthened positions which well interacted with artillery. The opponent did not manage to break through defense of our troops. But the debaltsevsky base "is pressed densely out" by troops of the opponent on perimeter. And fights proceed.

This night for the first time in eight days was not crisis any more and passed in general quietly. Our troops carried out in the hardest conditions the most difficult fighting task, against the enemy who was perfectly motivated, professionally prepared, concentrated a huge number of military equipment and ammunition.

The Russian command had a full tactical initiative and leeway and in a number of points managed to achieve a superiority in strength.

Our strong points in Nikishino are lost, but it did not break integrity of our defense as the next positions are held reliably. Ours stood in Redkodube, Chernukhino, reliably control a barrow the Sharp Grave - height 331.

However it is necessary to recognize that the opponent carried out a dangerous vklineniye near the village the Red Plowman near Troitsk, around height 307,9 near Sanzharovka which keep threat for the route M-103. The considerable part of Uglegorsk is lost, and it can also be the base for dangerous break to Debaltsevo.

Positions in Redkodube also need strengthening, as well as all east face of the base.

Many very much exaggerate danger of loss of Debaltsevo, speak about the Russian reconnaissance groups in the city. The matter is that such danger existed all the time of "truce" as the opponent controlled and controls height 332 over Debaltsevo, and to us is tactically unprofitable to defend east village fences and the suburb of a name on March 8.

Therefore enemy reconnaissance groups get, with them are at war, catch. Break of large forces of the opponent in Debaltsevo is impossible at present as ours strongly hold strong points in Chernukhino.

It should be notedIt should be noted that in general the Ukrainian command in sector "With" worked competently and in due time and tried to react quickly, however a number of decisions after all were not thought over, or accepted out of time. It is a question not only to commanders in sector, but also to the General Staff. And to specific commanders of parts and divisions.

It is impossible to relax. The opponent is not crushed - he makes in toilet and rearranges. The dangerous situation on the Debaltsevsky arch continues to remain. And new blows can follow.

Military operations opened a number of problems which should be corrected urgently. Some commanders showed the unfitness to military operations. In a number of cases of the enemy stopped heroism, but not professionalism. We stood under blow, but war proceeds, and the opponent does not stop attempt to find weak spots on our front.

The Ukrainian command needs to accept urgently a package of measures on rotation of parts, transfer of reserves, strengthening of positions. Also personnel decisions are necessary. A situation, I emphasize, remains to the extremely dangerous. I will write about it once again in the evening.

Are necessary to us not only tactical steps - but also global strategic decisions.

After that Ukraine became much stronger than a heartrending experience. It is impossible to estimate words as far as the professional level of army and National guard in this battle grew. It is difficult to describe admiration of firmness and heroism of our soldiers. These are real heroes. Simply there are no words. Low bow, children.

Yuriy Butusov, Censor.NET

The card from the page in Mikhail Dvoryanchuk's Facebook.

Source: http://censor.net.ua/