ISW: The occupiers reached an important highway near Vuhledar

East of Ukraine. Operation No. 1 – Kharkiv region

On 1 and 2 August, fighting continued in the areas of Hlyboke, Lyptsi, Vovchansk and Tykhe, but there were no confirmed changes on the frontline.

Russian military bloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces had recently lost ground in Vovchansk and were trying to reach the eastern outskirts of the aggregate plant and hold positions in the western part of the facility.

Operation No. 2 – Luhansk region

The Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff reported that on 1 and 2 August, Russian troops continued offensive operations southeast of Kupyansk in the areas of Pishchane, Stelmakhivka and Andriivka and northwest of Kreminna in the areas of Makiivka, Nevske and Torske, but there were no confirmed changes on the frontline.

The commander of a Ukrainian battalion operating along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line reported on 2 August that Russian troops had recently intensified their offensive near Makiivka and were advancing in the area.

Operation No. 3 – Donetsk region

Russian troops continued their offensive in the Siverskyi sector east of Siversk near Verkhnekamyanske; southeast of Siversk near Ivan-Dariivka, Vyymka, Spirne; and south of Siversk near Pereizne.

On August 2, Russian troops continued their offensive in the Chasiv Yar area, but there were no confirmed changes to the front line.

Russian troops recently advanced near Toretsk and continued offensive operations in the area on August 2.

Geolocation footage released on August 1 shows that the occupiers have advanced into central New York. A Russian blogger claimed that Ukrainian forces successfully counterattacked in central New York and captured an unspecified number of invaders, although ISW has not seen confirmation of this claim.

Geolocation footage released on August 2 indicates that Russian troops have recently advanced into southwestern Zalizne (southeast of Toretsk). Russian bloggers claimed that Russian forces had also advanced in Druzhba (east of Toretsk) and that they were trying to encircle Ukrainian forces in limited positions between New York and Zalizne.

Russian offensives in Zalizne and New York are about five kilometers apart, and the occupiers will likely try to tactically encircle Ukrainian forces in the area, ISW suggests. However, Institute analysts do not believe that the attempt of Russian encirclement will necessarily succeed . A possible Russian advance southwest of Zalizne or north of New York could result in Ukrainian forces being forced to withdraw from positions between Zalizne and Toretsk.

Russian forces recently advanced northwest of Avdiivka and made further gains in the area on 2 August. Geolocation footage released on 2 August showed Russian troops advancing along windbreaks south of Vovche. Russian bloggers claimed that the occupiers, who were operating northwest of Avdiivka, had advanced through fields southwest of Tymofiivka and Prohres and entered southeastern Ivanivka. Another Russian blogger claimed that Russian troops had also advanced into western Zhelanne (northwest of Avdiivka).

Russian forces have achieved their long-standing tactical objective of reaching the O-0532 road and cutting the Ukrainian ground line of communication (GLOC) connecting Vuhledar and Kostyantynivka, both southwest of Donetsk city, but Russian positions along the highway do not appear to bode well for tactically significant or rapid Russian advances in the area. Geolocation footage released on 1 August shows that Russian troops recently approached and seized a section of the O-0532 road southwest of Kostyantynivka.

Russian sources have long considered blocking the highway and disrupting Ukrainian ground lines of communication (GLOCs) in Vuhledar to be a key tactical objective southwest of Donetsk, and have suggested that this would allow Russian forces to force Ukrainian forces to withdraw from positions in and around Vuhledar.

Russian forces have recently intensified offensive operations southwest of Donetsk and have conducted several costly mechanised assaults in the area. The Russian advance to the Vuhledar-Konstyantynivka motorway is likely the result of this increased offensive effort, but Russian gains southwest of Donetsk continue to be gradual. The Institute notes that Ukrainian forces have other GLOCs leading to Vuhledar, and the closure of the O-0532 does not significantly impair Ukraine’s ability to hold and supply positions in the Vuhledar area.

Russian forces are reported to have advanced elsewhere southwest of Donetsk. A Russian blogger claimed that the invaders had advanced into the fields south of Pobyeda, although ISW found no evidence to support this claim.

South axis

Limited positional fighting continued in the west of Zaporizhzhya region near Robotyne, Mala Tokmachka and Verbove.

On August 2, Russian forces continued limited ground attacks on the eastern (left bank) Kherson region, including Krynki, but made no confirmed offensives.