Frontline newsletter: Kursk, Vuhledar, the rear

When a group of ten people leaves the city, only 4-6 make it

To begin with, a map for orientation. The focus in this post, as usual, isn’t on territorial gains/losses. But in any case, it’s nice to have some kind of reference to the place names. Kursk, the Russian region where Ukrainian forces control some land, neighbors Ukrainian Sumy.

The Vuhledar front

Stanislav Bunyatov, an Aidar officer with almost 300,000 subscribers:

The situation in Vuhledar is, to put it mildly, tough.
If before I had doubts that it could deteriorate to this extent, now all doubts are gone.
I will quote a soldier from the 72nd Mechanized Brigade, who is not sitting in a trench, is well aware of the situation, and will not exaggerate.

'Hello, the situation is shit.
Right now, there's an assault from three directions: Vodiane, Prechystivka, Pavlivka. The faggots have infiltrated the southern and western parts of the city, and heavy fighting is ongoing there.

The footpath is well-targeted by mortar and artillery fire. There are a lot of enemy drones, both FPV and regular reconnaissance drones with munitions drops, controlling the entire route.
On average, when a group of ten people leaves the city, only 4-6 make it to the nearest settlement.
The command has been promising a rotation for a week now but keeps delaying it due to changes in the external situation, and they tell us to hold on.
There's no evacuation at all since BMPs (armored vehicles) can't even reach Vuhledar — they're immediately targeted, and there are a lot of heavily wounded soldiers, impossible to evacuate on foot under drone fire, and many bodies lie along the roads.

Provisions, ammunition, and fuel are running out. The only option is to gradually abandon positions and retreat with fighting, at least for those who can still do so.'

I think I'll be called in for a 'talk' because of this post, but when soldiers' lives are at stake, so be it.
If the command of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade only reacts to public outcry, then such demoralizing posts are entirely their fault.

Roman Ponamarenko, Azov officer and military historian, September 28:

Vuhledar. Roughly half of the city is still under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. However, holding it is impossible because the enemy has flanked us and cut off all supply and evacuation routes. So, the countdown to the fall of Vuhledar has already begun.

The main problem now is ensuring the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces. They will have to retreat across open terrain, under enemy fire, which has air superiority and unlimited artillery ammunition. Perhaps this is why there is still no order to retreat — I’d like to believe that some measures are being planned to secure the withdrawal.

Officer, 151,000 subscribers, September 30:

Right now, mechanized assaults are happening in the Vuhledar direction near the Vodiane-Katerynivka area. They are attacking with several columns.

I've lost count of how many assaults/columns this is, everything is just blending into an endless mess, with attacks happening 24/7

The rear

Officer, run by Lieutenant ‘Alex’ - 151,000 subscribers. September 30:

A comrade wrote yesterday, saying literally: 'I was fucking shocked when I learned from the commander that there are some guys in the brigade with whom you need to coordinate certain documents, and they only hold office hours 1-2 days a week, from 14:00 to 16:00.'

It's just a bit frustrating because when you're rotting in the trenches 24/7, there are no days off. But when you're sitting in an office, you apparently need rest. After experiences like this, a huge gap in understanding arises between those at the front and those in the rear. Of course, there are decent people among those in the rear, but there are also scumbags who at 13:01 start yelling like crazy that it's their lunch break, and they don’t care who you are or what you need — they’re in charge, and they couldn’t care less. In fact, they just want you to get lost.

Rodion Kudryashov, Major in the Azov Battalion, September 27:

A conflict occurred in Kyiv in a parking lot between a National Bank (NBU) manager and a serviceman. The latter claimed that the banker nearly hit him with his car and threatened him with a weapon.

The driver of the vehicle was Pavlo Polyarush, the head of the NBU’s Problem Asset Management Department.

The Kursk front

Bakhmut Balu, an officer in the 210th assault regiment with 45,000 followers. September 29:

Kursk direction - To put it briefly, we're butting heads in direct confrontations.

They are catching us with drones on fiber optics, and so far, we haven't found a countermeasure.

We are burning their positions to the ground with "dragons," and they don’t know where to run, what to do, or most importantly, where we'll move next.

The enemy is very active, so there's plenty of work for drones, especially for dropping munitions and adjusting grenade launchers.

We're working actively, not resting ourselves, and not letting the enemy rest either.