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By Brendan Cole
Senior Reporter
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Ukrainian forces are making slow battlefield gains that might threaten Russia's ability to supply its troops, it has been reported, as a map shows the state of part of the front line.
One Ukrainian military observer assessed that Ukrainian forces had made advances in the Oleksandrivka direction, located at the junction of the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
This may threaten Russian logistics in the area where Ukrainian forces had both liberated settlements and made advances in what the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said suggested a renewed push by Kyiv.
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Newsweek has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry for comment and awaits a response.
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Where Has Ukraine Made Gains?
Ukrainian media and the ISW reported the assessment by Kostiantyn Mashovets, who is coordinator of the Information Resistance group.
While he does not speak for Ukraine's armed forces or government he does provide regular detailed front-line updates.
His Telegram posts on Sunday described how Ukrainian forces had retaken the Donetsk settlements of Perebudova, Komar, and Fedorivka, which are east and south of Oleksandrivka, as the map by the ISW shows.
Ukraine has been conducting counterattacks on the Oleksandrivka axis since February in what the ISW said is more than just aimed at recapturing territory, but also part of an attempt to disrupt Russian offensive plans.
Mashovets said that Ukrainian troops also advanced from Vesele toward Skudne which the ISW said showed that Russian troops had been likely pushed out of a salient northwest of the Fedorivka-Burlatske line.
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However, despite the Ukrainian gains, Russian forces are still holding positions on the northeastern edge of Perebudova, in western Donetsk, meaning the situation remains contested.
Russian forces also advanced southwest of Novopavlivka in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, just over the border with Donetsk, according to Mashovets.
"Stubborn fighting continues south of the Zaporozhia-Donetsk road, " he said, adding "the enemy put up quite stubborn resistance, sometimes trying to counterattack. "
The Ukrainian counterattacks in the Oleksandrivka direction have prompted Moscow to redirect marine and armored units that had been intended for offensive operations elsewhere.
This includes elements of the Russian 120th Naval Infantry Division (Baltic Fleet) and 40th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade (Pacific Fleet). The ISW noted they are more elite and combat-capable than other parts of the Russian military and so showed Moscow's priorities.
The front-line developments follow Ukraine's counteroffensive, Operation Vivaldi, which started over the summer and finished this month.
They cut off attempts by Russian forces to encircle Lyman axis in northern Donetsk and the "Fortress Belt" of heavily defended cities which are critical to Ukraine's defense of the Donbas region.
However, as military analyst Giorgi Revishvili told Newsweek earlier this month, one major challenge for Ukraine is the potential increase in the use of military equipment by Russian forces who appear to be waiting for colder weather to attempt a breakthrough.
Heading into winter, Ukrainian forces may face reduced visibility and degraded reconnaissance, while adverse weather could also affect strike capabilities, Revishvili said.
"These conditions could provide Russian forces with greater opportunities to infiltrate Ukrainian positions and employ heavier equipment deeper in the battlefield," he added.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Matthew Robinson and James Debens
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