Lecture Notes: Updates from Bakod direction

Introduction

• Interesting updates from the area of Chfar
• High-intensity clashes over months

Russian Takeover of Canal District

• Significant gain after months of frontal assaults
• Came at high cost in armored vehicles
• Use of improvised assault methods (e.g., motorcycles)

Reasons for Focus on Canal District

• Lack of success on northern and southern flanks of the town
• Minimal results from these assaults
• Concentration of combat-ready units and equipment in the Canal District

Benefits of Taking Canal District

• High-rise buildings provide powerful firing positions
• Potential to suppress Ukrainian forces in the Novi District
• Only one-story houses in Novi, easier to compromise

Russian Strategies and Ukrainian Defensive Challenges

• Glide bomb strikes, artillery, and thermobaric systems used intensively
• High-rise buildings damaged making defense untenable
• Collapsed entrances, buried bomb shelters

Tactical Changes Due to Bombing

• Fewer defensive positions for Ukrainians
• Smaller number of fighters stationed in highrises
• Increased Russian infantry and armored vehicle assaults

Russian Assault Tactics

• Small infantry squad to detect firing positions first
• Artillery and thermobaric strikes focused on detected positions
• Aim to disrupt communications and prevent reinforcements

Industrial Zone Control

• Russians took remaining buildings in the industrial zone
• Came under fire from Ukrainian AGS grenade launchers but succeeded
• Control of industrial zone puts remaining Ukrainian highrises in danger

Consequences for Ukrainian Forces

• Forced withdrawal to western side of the canal
• Russians must overcome canal to advance further
• Need to clear Ukrainian positions on the eastern bank, especially near Kalanka

Russian Adaptation to Heavy Losses

• Use of motorcycles as a makeshift solution
• Faster and more flexible transportation of troops
• Aim to reduce vulnerability to drones and cluster munition strikes

Limitations of Motorcycle Use

• Not highly effective against experienced drone operators
• Example: Russian soldier abandoning motorcycle due to drone presence
• Motorcycle destroyed by drone-dropped grenades

Current Situation and Expectations

• Russians exhausted after long assaults
• Ukrainians have time to organize defenses
• Canal District loss not critical, served its purpose
• Second phase of the battle expected to be more deadly for Russians
• Continuous Ukrainian fortifications along the western bank of the canal
• Future assaults will have to rely heavily on infantry

Support and Conclusion

• Encouragement to support Ukraine and work being done
• Link to an online store supporting Ukraine

Thank you for watching. See you in the next report.