Armored personnel carrier in use
Ukrainians operate behind Russian defense lines
September 22, 2023, 8:28 a.m
After days of fighting, Ukrainian units in the south of the country made it behind the main Russian defense line. The US think tank ISW speaks of a “significant change” in the front line at Werbowe. But success was fought for bloodily.
Ukrainian troops have apparently managed to use armored vehicles to get behind the main Russian defense line in the southeast of the country. Armored vehicles overcame trenches and anti-tank obstacles near the village of Verbowe in the Zaporizhia region, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing the Ukrainian military. According to the report, evaluations of Russian videos showing artillery strikes and drone attacks on Ukrainian armored personnel carriers confirmed the breakthrough.
The small breach was hard fought and the Ukrainian units suffered heavy losses, it was said. According to the investigative group Oryx The Ukrainians lost a German-made Marder armored personnel carrier for the first time near Werbowe. According to the information, the vehicle was abandoned by its crew after being hit.
“This is the first observed use of Ukrainian vehicles behind the Russian defense line,” reported the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW). However, it is not yet possible to judge whether Kiev’s units have completely broken through the defensive line. Nevertheless, the presence of Ukrainian units behind the Russian defense line is a “significant change” in the front area.
“The Ukrainians probably drove along a country road that runs through the trench and dragon’s tooth line,” speculates ISW analyst George Barros on the platform X, formerly Twitter. This indicates that it was possible to eliminate the local Russian defense in this area. Dragon teeth are special concrete blocks that are used as tank obstacles.
As the US magazine Forbes reported, the Ukrainian 82nd Air Assault Brigade has been fighting for days towards Werbowe, where three Russian regiments and some special units are said to have entrenched themselves. The first of Russia’s three main defense lines runs in front of the village and is peppered with vehicle trenches, minefields and anti-tank obstacles.
The battle area around Werbowe represents a challenge for the Ukrainian military. The terrain is characterized by open agricultural landscapes that offer little cover. Russian defensive positions are often hidden in the narrow strips of forest and hedgerows. The open areas, on the other hand, are partly mined. It is about 38 kilometers from Werbowe to the strategically important Tokmak traffic junction.