The Russians have started to dump water into the North Crimean Canal and the Kakhovka Canal, so that as little water as possible will end up in the Dnieper and there will be less flooding in case the Ukrainian armed forces succeed in blowing up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. “In this way, even if the floods will still occur, we hope to reduce the damage,” said Sergei Moroz, deputy governor of Kherson Oblast, recalling that there are “thousands of tons” of water there.
The Zaporozhyem region has been connected to the Russian Federation’s gas transportation system, the authorities in the region said, not least because the region has been left in the dark by the Ukrainian central government due to the damage caused by Russian bombing.
The eyes of the world are on the battle for Kherson even though this will not decide the outcome of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. According to Russian military expert Boris Rozhin: ‘At the moment there is conflicting information in this direction. If a political decision is made to withdraw from the right bank of the Dnieper, obviously there will be no Stalingrad. This could be caused, among other things, by the threat of a dirty nuclear bomb and the endangering of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric plant. Should a political decision be made to keep Kherson and the bridgehead on the right bank, an intense and prolonged struggle in that direction can be expected. Despite the obvious logistical problems and the threat of the use of weapons of mass destruction, the question of keeping Kherson is still more political than military’. The Russians continue to evacuate the area.
And now a look at the front line.
The border territories of the Russian Federation: In the Bryansk region, an attack occurred near the border with Belarus: an IED exploded at the Novozybkov-Zlynka crossing. The railway tracks were damaged, but there were no casualties.
Starobil’s’k direction
Units of the Ukrainian 71st Jaeger Brigade, reinforced by two SDF companies, attempted to assault Russian positions near the villages of Pervomais’ke (Pershotravneve), Orlyans’ke and Berestove. The Ukrainian attacks were repelled and under artillery fire, the Ukrainians retreated to their initial positions.
On the Liman section, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted to take the heights south of Markiivka and approach Krasnopopivka again. Two companies of Ukrainian motorised infantry attacked the strongholds of the Russian Armed Forces, but suffered concentrated artillery fire and retreated with losses.
A battalion of the 54th Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted an offensive in Bilohovka. The Russian units launched a counter-attack and pushed the enemy back to their initial positions.
The enemy command continued to transfer reserves to the front line to compensate for losses. 20 infantry and 2 tanks arrived in the Serebryanka area.
Soledar direction:
There is fighting on the eastern outskirts of Bachmut: Ukrainian forces try to pull back PMC Wagner units from all positions in the area of the asphalting plant.
Lugansk region:
Ukrainian formations strike Starobil’s’k, Zoryns’k, Bilokurakyne, Zolote and Krasnorichens’ke.
Donetsk direction:
Ukrainian formations shelled Donetsk, Yasinivka and other settlements in the agglomeration.
Zaporizhzhya direction:
There is no significant change in the situation. There are artillery clashes on the front line, with Ukrainian DRGs trying to uncover weaknesses in the Russian defence.
Southern Front: Mykolaivs’ke-Beryslavs’ke Hwy direction
On the morning of 24 October, two companies of the 3rd and 8th separate regiments of the Ukrainian SDF, aboard three Husky TSV armoured vehicles, supported by the 17th Territorial Defence Battalion in converted civilian vehicles, attempted a reconnaissance battle near the positions of the Russian Armed Forces at Borozens’ke and Piatykhatky.
The convoy was spotted by an Orlan-30 drone, after which it was attacked by Su-25 attack aircraft of the Russian Air Force. The advanced positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were also hit by Giatsint-B howitzers and multiple Smerch rocket launchers. The Ukrainian attack was stopped: the Ukrainian formations retreated after losing all their armoured vehicles.
The Ukrainian HIMARS and MLRS Olha hit Novaya Kakhovka.
Graziella Giangiulio
