Russians stuck near Orlivka, hindered by series of reservoirs, military says

The Armed Forces of Ukraine continues its defensive operation on the Avdiivka front, relying on the local terrain including the cascade of water reservoirs near the settlements of Tonenke, Orlivka, and Berdychi. That is the defence strategy chosen by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Source: Dmytro Lykhovii, spokesman for the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group, on Radio Liberty (Svoboda.Ranok project); Anatolii Nikitin, a fighter of the 3rd Assault Brigade

Quote from Lykhovii: "There, the terrain itself will form part of our defence: a chain of reservoirs has been identified as a key element. This is the way the Ukrainian Armed Forces units on the Avdiivka front continue their defensive operations."

Details: Lykhovii stated that assault groups of the Russian army were prevented from advancing on the outskirts of and approaches to the village of Horlivka.

The Russians attempted to advance with the support of artillery, mortars, FPV drones, and aircraft, he added.

Quote from Lykhovii: "Not everything is as simple for the enemy as it may seem; near the village of Orlivka, Russian assault groups were blocked either at the approaches to the village or on its outskirts."

Details: The junior sergeant of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) battalion of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, Anatolii Nikitin, said that there are field fortifications that help the Ukrainian Armed Forces defend against infantry units and the artillery of the Russian army. However, there is currently no protection against guided bombs.

"These are infantry field fortifications that allow us to defend against infantry and artillery components effectively. But the enemy is now using tactics against which we have no defence – strikes with 500-kilogram guided bombs. These create a crater five metres deep," said Nikitin.

He also emphasised that in Avdiivka itself, Ukrainian forces had robust fortifications and defensive lines that helped deter the Russian army at the beginning of their full-scale invasion.

Read also: The last days of Avdiivka: what led to the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the city and how it took place 

Background: 

• On 17 February, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, announced the withdrawal of Ukrainian units from Avdiivka. Then Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, Commander of the Tavria Operational and Strategic Group of Forces (OSGF), reported that Ukrainian troops have consolidated their positions on new defensive lines on the Avdiivka front in Donetsk Oblast.
• On 24 February, DeepState reported that Russian troops had occupied the village of Lastochkyne.
• On 25 February, Dmytro Lykhovii, spokesman for the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group, said that Ukraine's Armed Forces had withdrawn to the western outskirts of Lastochkyne, where they took up "prepared defensive positions", but on 26 February, he confirmed their withdrawal from Lastochkyne to mount a defence along the Horlivka-Tonenke-Berdychi line.
• On 27 February DeepState analysts reported that Russian troops were advancing west and northwest of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast, having captured the villages of Stepove and Sieverne after Lastochkyne. Tavriia Operative-Strategic Group confirms Ukrainian forces retreated from villages near Avdiivka.

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