FOREIGN MERCENARIES READY TO RETIRE FROM UKRAINIAN FRONT LINES

The situation on the Ukrainian front lines remains tense. Inflamed by positional battles and heavy artillery duels, the Donbass front lines remain almost unchanged. On the northern Donbass front, intense artillery duels and counter-battery fighting continue along the front lines from Kupyansk to Lisichansk. The Armed Forces of Ukraine failed to break through Russian defenses to the north of Svatovo. After their counter offensive operations in the area of Kuzemovka led to no significant results, the Ukrainian military has recently suspended their attempts to assault the village. At the same time, the AFU accumulated forces and launched a counteroffensive near the village of Chervonopopovka, in an attempt to cut off the road between Svatovo and Kremennaya. The intense fire of Russian artillery pushed the advancing units back to their initial lines. The Ukrainian advance is hampered by Russian control of the commanding heights in the area. In their turn, Russian forces have been on the offensive for several days in the area of Kremennaya. They advanced over several kilometers in some areas on the front lines and managed to take more control over advantageous positions for further advances. Russian offensive operations were launched near the villages of Ploshanka and Chervona Dibrova. The advancing Russian troops are covered by fire of a wide range of weapons including all types of howitzers, TOS Solntsepek, Krasnopol guided missiles as well as by Russian military aircraft. According to several reports, losses of the Ukrainian Army in the recent two days amounted to about 200 servicemen. On the outskirts of Soledar, Russian Wagner fighters have recently reported on their gains in the village of Yakovlevka. Ukrainian units were pushed out from their positions in the village where the Russian mop up operation continues. In the Bakhmut region, Wagner fighters are yet to secure their stronghold in Opytne located on the southern outskirts of the city, as Ukrainian forces continue their attempts to counterattack the village. Fighting is also ongoing in the industrial area on the eastern outskirts of Bakhmut. The Ukrainian military command is transferring additional units, including foreign mercenaries, to the area in an attempt to make up for heavy losses. However, it seems that the foreign volunteers are not willing to take part in the bloody battle anymore. For example, the founder of the US “Mozart” PMC, a retired colonel of the US Marine Corps Andrew Melbourne complained that members of his so-called “humanitarian mission” in Bakhmut are hunted by Wagner fighters. “Unfavorable circumstances” like “evil Russians” and the lack of funding from the Ukrainian command may push Mozart mercenaries out from Ukraine in early 2023 Ret. Col. Melburn also confirmed that the media is not lying claiming that the losses of the Ukrainian Army amounts to about 70% of its personnel.