Frontline report: Russians forced to withdraw from Vovchansk as Ukrainians capture Aggregate Plant

23 September 2024. Today there are a lot of updates from the Kharkiv direction.

Here, the Ukrainians changed the tide of the battle of Vovchansk after successfully retaking control of powerful Russian positions at the local aggregate plant, some of the most important positions in the entire city.

This development has led to the gradual collapse of defenses and logistical support, putting Russian forces at serious risk of being pushed out of Vovchansk completely.

After nearly five months of intense fighting, Vovchansk has become one of the most heavily destroyed cities in Ukraine, with the majority of the destruction concentrated in its northern part.

This extensive devastation is significant for the ongoing battle, as it prevents Russian troops from concealing and accumulating their forces in the area.

Northern Vovchansk has two key strongholds: the high-rise Citadel and the aggregate plant. The Citadel was severely damaged, leaving most of it in ruins and unsuitable for troop positioning by either Russians or Ukrainians. Additionally, many surrounding smaller residential buildings have been destroyed or are no longer viable for use by troops.

As a result, the only fortified stronghold left in northern Vovchansk was the aggregate plant. Its buildings remained standing due to their strong construction. Though the area was under Russian control, the plant’s status as one of the few usable fortifications made it easy for Ukrainian forces to pinpoint Russian troop concentrations. This led to prolonged Ukrainian airstrikes and artillery shelling, which intensified as the Russian forces at the plant became fully encircled and cut off from nearly all support.

The Ukrainian command chose not to assault the plant directly but instead aimed to starve the Russian garrison of ammunition and food, while continuously striking their positions to maximize losses.

This dire situation forced the Russian fighters to scavenge for food, medical aid, and water, as they had no other supply options. Additionally, Russian troops outside the plant attempted to deliver supplies using drones, which was the only reason the besieged forces managed to hold out for so long.

This enabled the Ukrainians to capitalize on the collapse of the Russian defense of the plant and finally take it after the Russian defenses and troops holding out there were destroyed after months of intense bombing and shelling. With the plant under the control of the Ukrainian forces, they could now regain the initiative in the Vovchansk area.

Since the Vovchansk aggregate plant is the only remaining complex of high-rise buildings in the town, the Ukrainians can establish effective fire control over northern Vovchansk.

With control of these high-rises, Ukrainian forces can monitor all Russian movements in the area, allowing them to relay precise location data to artillery, aviation, and drone operators for rapid strikes.

As a result, Russian positions north of the aggregate plant and east of the now-destroyed Citadel became completely untenable due to Ukrainian fire control from the plant. This fire control enabled Ukrainian forces to intensify their counterattacks, swiftly pushing the Russians back several streets from the south and east of the salient.

With positions inside Vovchansk nearly untenable for Russian forces, the Russian command has been forced to keep the bulk of their troops in the forests north of the city, leaving only a smaller contingent in the town. While these forces are less exposed to Ukrainian fire outside the city, the falling autumn leaves are reducing their cover, making it easier for Ukrainians to deploy thermite drones against their positions. Combat footage shows Russian troops being quickly targeted by Ukrainian artillery in the forests soon after detection, dispersing them and preventing further squad-sized assaults in Vovchansk.

The original uncensored footage of all operations can be found on Reporting From Ukraine’s Telegram channel.

Overall, the Ukrainians managed to successfully retake the only remaining standing stronghold in Vovchansk after a prolonged siege, and effectively force the Russian troops to withdraw the majority of their forces outside the city. With control of the aggregate plant, Ukrainians can effectively detect and destroy any Russian movements within the town, preventing Russian advances in the area. At the same time, securing the plant allowed the Ukrainians to regain momentum, launching successful counterattacks that significantly reduced the Russian bridgehead.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.