Frontline report: Ukrainian fighters decimate elite Russian Special Forces unit

Today there are a lot of updates from the Chernihiv direction, northern Ukraine.

The most interesting updates come from the border village of Mkhy. Here, a group of Ukrainian volunteer fighters destroyed a group of most elite Russian Special Forces soldiers that were conducting reconnaissance. 

Russian forces try to advance in Chernihiv Oblast

The Chernihiv Oblast has not experienced significant combat operations since the Russian withdrawal in 2022. However, the Russian command has decided to explore the possibility of conducting operations in the area, particularly around Semenivka village.

The Russian offensive in Kharkiv Oblast slowed down and failed to meet its intended goals. Consequently, the Russian command might have considered launching another offensive in Chernihiv. 

In May, Ukrainian military observer Kostyantin Mashovets reported that Russia had amassed thirty-one thousand troops in Belgorod Oblast for the Kharkiv offensive. Additionally, he noted that Russia had deployed ten thousand soldiers in Kursk Oblast and eight thousand in Briansk Oblast, both of which border Ukraine.

The Briansk Oblast of Russia directly borders the Ukrainian Chernihiv Oblast, making it likely that the Russian command has amassed well over eight thousand troops there for a potential offensive since May. 

Preparations for such operations required the Russian command to deploy Special Forces on reconnaissance missions in the village of Mkhy in the Semenivka area. These missions aimed to identify ideal locations for force concentrations, potential logistics routes, and a new axis of attack.

Russia uses its most elite Special Forces unit for this operation

The task of this combat mission was assigned to a group of at least six Special Forces operators from the three-hundred twenty-second Senezh Special Operations Center. These Russian Special Operators are among the most elite and highly trained soldiers in the Russian army. Comprised solely of professional contract soldiers with years of service, they have undergone rigorous special forces training to achieve their elite status. 

Russian Special Forces operators undertake combat tasks that include sabotage, reconnaissance, subversion, sedition, guerrilla warfare, intelligence gathering, and the assassination of high-value targets. 

These six operators, in particular, are from the 122nd Senezh Special Operations Center, where they receive training in skydiving, mountaineering, military diving, and storming buildings.

In total, the Russian army has around only two thousand special forces operators, and they are strategic assets whose presence in Chernihiv implies large and significant operations in the phase of preparations. 

Ukrainian drone spotted the Russians, caught them by surprise

In the Semenivka area, a squad of six Senezh Special Operators moved near the village of Mkhy to assess the condition of the nearby road and gauge Ukrainian strength in preparation for a potential Russian offensive towards Semenivka. The heavily forested terrain provided cover, allowing them to avoid detection as they conducted their reconnaissance.

Unfortunately for the Russians, they were spotted by a Ukrainian drone, which relayed their position to a nearby Ukrainian reconnaissance battalion. The Ukrainian fighters quickly moved in and engaged the Russian Special Forces. 

The Russian saboteurs, outnumbered and overwhelmed by superior Ukrainian firepower, were forced into a short-range battle where small arms fire was heavily utilized. 

The Russian fighters were located far from each other and relied on stealth and their concealment that was blown, so they were caught by a complete surprise. Because they were far from each other, the Russian fighters were quickly isolated and cut off because of very fast Ukrainian coordination.

In response, the Russian Special Operators called in artillery fire from the Briansk border area, hoping to suppress the Ukrainian fighters and facilitate their withdrawal. However, the Ukrainian counter-battery fire managed to deliver several accurate shots, damaging one Russian artillery piece and forcing the remaining Russian artillery units to flee the area.

 As a result, the Russian Special Operators were left without fire support and were ultimately overpowered and eliminated by the Ukrainian fighters.

Russian losses in this operation

After the destruction of Special Operators in Semenivka, Russian sources confirmed the event and provided information about their identification and ranks. 

Five Russian Special Forces operators were killed. All of them were officers. Among them were three majors, one captain, and one senior Lieutenant

Additionally, the Ukrainians from the northern group of forces released footage showing the destroyed Russian saboteurs and their equipment.

The Russian saboteurs had used camouflage on both their weapons and clothing to conceal their movements.

 All firearms were equipped with suppressors and scopes and their radios had extended antennas for long distance communication indicating their isolated and distant operation.

 The death of five operatives has been confirmed through footage of their bodies which are currently under investigation, while the body of the the sixth operator remains unaccounted for.

Overall, Ukrainian fighters managed to thwart a Russian incursion into Chernihiv Oblast and destroy five highly trained Special Forces irreplaceable officers.

With the Ukrainians learning about the Russian plans for an offensive in the Semenivka area, any potential element of surprise was eliminated.

This revelation could force the Russians to significantly reduce their activity in the region for an extended period or even cancel the offensive altogether, given the failure of their critical intelligence-gathering operation. 

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.