Ukrainian troops will continue offensive operations and destroy Russian depots of equipment, weapons and ammunition in the Melitopol direction.
The situation in Kharkiv and Lugansk regions
Russian troops carried out ground attacks along the administrative border of the Kharkiv and Luhansk regions and south of Kremennaya. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian troops were trying to advance northwest of Svatovoye near Berestovoye, Novoselovskoye and Stelmakhivka and south of Kremennaya near Berestovoye and Vesely.
A Russian military blogger claimed that Russian troops unsuccessfully tried to cross the Zherebets River between Svatov and Kremennaya and attacked from Karmazinovka towards Chereshchina.
Russian sources reported that units of the 285th Guards Artillery Brigade and the 24th Separate Guards Special Purpose Brigade (GU of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, GRU) were fighting in the Kremennaya area.
Ukrainian troops allegedly continue to strike at Russian concentration areas deep in the occupied Luhansk region. Footage released on July 7 shows fires and the aftermath of an explosion near Sorokino, about 35km southeast of Lugansk and 130km from the current front line. Several sources have suggested that Ukrainian troops hit the munitions mix using Storm Shadow missiles.
Fighting in the Donetsk region
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said on July 7 that Ukrainian forces had advanced more than 1 km in unspecified areas south of Bakhmut. Malyar noted that fighting continues north of Bakhmut and that Ukrainian forces are making it difficult for Russian troops to leave the city itself. ISW has seen no visual evidence that Russian forces are having difficulty withdrawing personnel from Bakhmut.
A Russian military blogger said that Ukrainian forces continue to operate on the western outskirts of the city of Bakhmut. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks near Berkhovka.
On July 8, Russian State Duma deputy from the Republic of Sakha Sardana Avksentyeva sent a complaint to Russian Defense Minister Shoigu about the treatment of the personnel of the 83rd Guards Airborne Assault Brigade (VDV), operating near Kleshcheevka. These units are likely to serve in the Bakhmut direction for only about two weeks.
The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian troops were conducting unsuccessful offensive operations near Avdiivka, Novokalinovoe, Stepnoye, Pervomaisky, Nevelskoye and Maryinka. A Russian military blogger claimed that Russian troops had launched unsuccessful ground attacks near Novomikhailovka.
“South Axis”
The General Staff of Ukraine reported that Russian troops were conducting unsuccessful offensive operations near Blagodatnoe. On July 8, Ukrainian troops continued their counter-offensive operations in the west of the Zaporozhye region.
Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar said that Ukrainian troops continue offensive operations and destroy Russian depots of equipment, weapons and ammunition in the Melitopol direction in order to significantly reduce Russia’s capabilities.
Major Valeriy Shershen, spokesman for the Taurida Group of Forces of Ukraine, said that the Ukrainian forces had achieved partial success and advanced in the Melitopol direction.
Russian military bloggers continue to contradict the official narrative of the Russian Defense Ministry regarding the alleged “defeat” of Ukrainian forces at the Antonovsky Bridge. A Russian blogger claims that Ukrainian forces still have observation posts and other limited positions on the eastern (left) bank of the Dnieper River. Another military blogger said that Russian reports that Ukrainian forces were being pushed back from those positions is a “blurring of reality.”
On the evening of July 8, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the appointment of a new commander of the National Guard of Ukraine, combat officer Oleksandr Pivnenko.
Source : RBC
