Rebels reinforce at Logvinova as Ukrainians prepare counterattacks
2015-02-11
Posted by: badanov
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By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com
Rebel commanders have reinforced the blocking position at a key point north of Debaltsevo with additional infantry and armor, but the Ukrainian Army is preparing a counterattack from the north, according to data supplied by Russian language news publications and other sources.
Since the February 9th coup de main which ended with Logvinova in rebel hands, rebel commanders have started to send additional troops into the blocking position to further reinforce the ring around Debaltesevo.
Rebel estimates on the number of troops inside the Debaltsevo cauldron range from 4,000 to 8,000 troops. The formations inside the pocket are varied and have been identified by rebel media and others.
They include battalion tactical groups of the Ukrainian 25th, 30th, 92nd, 95th and 128th Brigades, elements of the Ukrainian 26th, 27th and 44th Artillery Brigades, elements of the Ukrainian 2nd National Guard Brigade, the Ukrainian 13th, 25th and 40th Territorial Battalions, and parts of the "Donbass-1" "Aydar" Territorial Battalions.
Forces inside the cauldron are facing as many as 10,000 rebel troops.
On the east, or Lugansk side, rebel units being pushed into the battle include two mechanized rifle battalions, one tank battalion and one artillery brigade (probably in fact a separate artillery regiment with 20 tubes and/or launchers), the "August" Separate Mechanized Battalion and elements of the Forces Artillery Brigade. The force manpower totals include 3,000 effectives, 35 tanks and an undisclosed number of artillery tubes and launchers, numbering more that 24.
On the west side, forces involved in the fighting include the Donetsk 3rd Mechanized and 7th Army Brigades, and one "Special Purpose Artillery Brigade", totaling between 6,000 and 7,000 effectives.
According to rebel videos and online publications, rebel commanders sent elements of the Donetsk 3rd Mechanized Brigade near Logvinova with the intent of rotating units in and out of those positions, and probably to set up switchlines for rapid reaction forces. The units sent indicated they were close enough to the units at Logvinova that they could see those units from their own positions.
The video showed a light infantry platoon armed with Shmel fuel air explosive rocket launchers and disposable RPG-18s moving toward those blocking positions and digging trenches.
According to Ukrainian military journalist Dmitri Tymchuk, rebel commanders have moved a number of supply and combat vehicles into the Debaltsevo area of operations on the west side including 15 tanks and 10 armored fighting vehicles, 2 batteries (8 guns total) of MT-12 "Rapira" 100mm antitank guns and four rocket artillery launchers.
Tymchuk said that since Friday rebels have moved 60 covered supply trucks and 50 armored vehicles into the Debaltsevo area of operations.
Tymchuk said that on the east side rebels have moved into the area of operations 15 tanks, 60 armored fighting vehicles and 20 specialized vehicles.
According to Rustoday.info, Donetsk defense ministry spokesman Lt. Colonel Eduard Basurin addressed the possibility of a Ukrainian counteroffensive near Donetsk city, indicating that Ukrainian commanders are concentrating forces northwest of the city near Avdievka, Novoselovka and Orlovka, moving in four battalions of tactical groups from the Ukrainian 28th, 30th and 93rd Motorized Rifle Brigades.
Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com. Click here for a list of stories in the The 2014 War in Ukraina category.
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