Battlefield Update - 2023-05-04 (1)

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❗️🇷🇺🇺🇦 Highlights of Russian Military Operation in Ukraine on May 3.

▪️The AFU used drones to strike the Kremlin residence of the Russian president.

One of the drones exploded over the Senate building dome, and the roof caught fire. The wreckage of the second UAV fell on Kremlin territory.

▪️Russian Geran-2 kamikaze UAVs attacked military and industrial facilities in Ukraine.

At least three UAVs hit an oil depot in Kirovohrad: a major fire broke out at the facility.

▪️Five Ukrainian drones raided a military airfield near the village of Seshcha in the Bryansk region.

Two UAVs exploded at the site, damaging an unoperated An-124 aircraft.

▪️The border village of Tetkino in Kursk region was once again shelled by the AFU.

Fifteen residential buildings, a gas pipeline, a power transmission line and a clinic building were damaged.

▪️On the western outskirts of Bakhmut, Wagner PMC assault groups expanded their zone of control along Peremogi Street.

At the same time, the storming of enemy strongholds on Vyzvolyteliv Donbasu Street continues.

▪️The Kyiv regime continues shelling the front-line settlements of the Donetsk agglomeration.

In Horlivka, residential buildings were hit and one woman was injured. In Shyroka Balka, five transformer substations lost power.

▪️In Mar'inka, Russian motorized rifle units supported by tanks are engaged in fierce fighting in the low-rise building area.

On the southern outskirts, the assault units broke through the AFU defense near the territory of Gorgaz and gained foothold in that area.

#digest #Russia #Ukraine #video

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1. The AFU has stepped up sabotage and terrorist activities on Russian territory. From a military point of view, they are doing it competently. No one has forgotten what a rail war is—attacks on infrastructure before the offensive—and that's what they are doing. They are trying to undermine the situation.

Subversive groups, with the support of the local network, carry out the bombings. The well-advertised visit of Kapustin's DRG with selfies on the RF territory could have been a diversionary tactic when one or several DRGs would have visited another place.

2) about the likely directions of attacks:

a) It is 100% likely that they will try to force the Dnepr. An attack on "old" Russian territory is expected with a slightly lower probability.

b) An attempt to hit "mainland" Russia may be tempting, as exemplified by the raid of the 25th brigade along the border with Russia in the summer of 2014. The key word is "raid."

c) Possible options: to try to go to the Bryansk or Kursk regions (direction: NPP, about 60 km to the border, 5 hours on foot, 2.5 times faster with vehicles). Taking into account the propensity for terrorist acts and sabotage, it cannot be ruled out. Or, the second one—if they went out and organized a big military raid, bypassing major settlements, cutting off the infrastructure, and reaching the rear of our grouping's supply lines in the direction of Luhansk, so that the defense would be able to shout that the enemy was in the rear. The Sodomites really liked the maneuvering offensive of the fall-2022 model and have a desire to repeat it. They went in and dusted their vehicles, bypassing major settlements, entering small ones, cutting off infrastructure, and burning equipment.

d) The attempt to cut the federal highways on the territory of the Russian Federation with the purpose of demonstration, inflicting losses, creating panic, etc. is not ruled out.

e) The southern (Zaporizhzhya) direction is the most threatening due to the fact that it is the only opportunity to use large tank units.

f) Special attention to Energodar An attempt to act in tank wedges is not ruled out. An overland attack on Energodar can also be supported by forcing the Dnepr (as in other directions, including the Kherson direction), although it is wide there. The simultaneous use of 100–200 watercraft is counted on. Energodar is one of the points of the future enemy offensive.

3. I do not support the version about the direction of Mariupol. Why? The enemy's task is to cut off the overland route to Crimea. Why rush to Mariupol, bypassing several settlements, if it is possible to dust the steppe towards Berdyanka, where there are no large obstacles or settlements that can be confronted? Their objective is to jump, cut the corridor to the Crimea, and gain a foothold. It is a question of achieving tactical and strategic goals. It is easier to achieve them where there is less resistance, not where it is necessary to bang your head against the wall.

5. While the weather stopped them Everything is trashed, plus over the winter they trashed the roads and the rockade. It's a swamp. It takes a breeze and dry weather for 10 days for it to start to overgrow.

6. About the battle for Bakhmut There is Chasov Yar behind Bakhmut. In its area, there are a number of water obstacles. If we can traverse these obstacles, we will prevent a counterattack by the armed forces of Ukraine, gain an operational advantage, and counterattack the Ukrainian armed forces.

7. Timing. From May 3 to May 15–19, they will definitely go. They would love to. The weather is not conducive; it rains in some areas. But in a number of areas, the weather has already settled. I do not exclude the main phase of the activation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by May 9 as a "gift" from Russia with a simultaneous series of UAV strikes and terrorist attacks in the central regions of the Russian Federation, incl.important cities.

#source (https://t.me/voenkorKotenok/47266)

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The main thing from the statements of Dmitry Peskov:

◾️ The Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin is now under investigation;

◾️ Putin's reaction to the drone attack on the Kremlin was calm and collected;

◾️ Moscow knows that Kyiv chooses both means and targets for strikes at the dictation of Washington;

◾️ Moscow believes that Kyiv was involved in the attack on the Kremlin, based on data from the Russian special services;

◾️ After the attack on the Kremlin, two copper sheets on the dome of the Senate Palace were singed, they will be promptly replaced;

◾️ The Kremlin is considering a "various" response to the Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin;

◾️ The situation in the Kremlin after the incident with drones is normal, everyone is working in their places;

◾️ Putin's address or an emergency meeting of the Security Council of the Russian Federation is not planned after the drone attack on the Kremlin;

◾️ The security system in the Kremlin will be further strengthened after the incident with drones;

◾️ The goals and objectives of the special operation do not change after the drone attack on the Kremlin;

◾️ It is not known where exactly the drones that attacked the Kremlin were launched from, the investigation will deal with this;

◾️ Putin's plans do not include contacts with foreign leaders after the drone attack on the Kremlin, the closest contact will be with the leader of Kyrgyzstan in Moscow;

◾️ The Kremlin is waiting for the visit of the President of Kyrgyzstan to Moscow, preparing for it;

◾️ The Kremlin did not comment on the proposal to declare Zelensky a legitimate military target for the Russian Federation after the drone attack on the Kremlin;

◾️ Washington is behind the Kyiv attack on the Kremlin, the US attempts to disown the drone attack on the Kremlin are laughable;

◾️ It is important that Washington, involved in the attack on the Kremlin, understand the danger of such direct involvement in the conflict;

◾️ The Kremlin is aware of the Pope's thoughts on the settlement in Ukraine, but the specific plans are not known to Moscow;

◾️ On May 5, Putin will hold a traditional operational meeting with the Security Council, which may touch upon the topic of a drone attack on the Kremlin;

◾️ On May 4, Putin will discuss economic issues with Reshetnikov in the Kremlin.

-TASS

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A second update will be made today.