The Davydiv Brid battle
Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 will include an offensive in southern Ukraine.
Ukrainian invasion by Russia in 2022.svg
Map of the Davydiv Brid area's combat operations
From May 27 through October 4, 2022 (4 months and 1 week)
Location Kherson Oblast, Ukraine, Beryslav Raion, and Davydiv Brid
Ukrainian triumph as a result
Entities at War Russia Unknown Ukraine Strength 5th Tank Brigade vte 2022 Ukrainian invasion by Russia
During the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Ukrainians launched a counteroffensive operation known as the Battle of Davydiv Brid. Ukrainian forces made an effort to retake a portion of the Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast in response to Russia's offensive in southern Ukraine and to stymie Russian resources. The counter-offensive started on May 27, 2022, and was centred around the Ukrainian-recaptured settlement of Davydiv Brid. By June 16, 2022, however, they had been driven back across the Inhulets River. However, Ukrainian soldiers managed to hold onto another bridgehead close to Lozove. [1] Two and a half months later, the Ukrainian military launched a southern counteroffensive, and on 4 October, Davydiv Brid was said to have been taken. [2]
Contents
1 Background \s2 Battle \s3 Aftermath \s4
furthermore, 5 References
History Main articles: Russian occupation of Kherson Oblast and the attack against southern Ukraine
Additional details: The battles of Kherson, Melitopol, and Mykolaiv
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, escalating the Russo-Ukrainian War that had started in 2014. Since World War II, the invasion has resulted in Europe's fastest-growing refugee crisis. [4] with a third of the population being displaced and more than 6.5 million Ukrainians leaving the nation. [6] [7] The majority of the Kherson Oblast, including the cities of Berdiansk and Melitopol, was seized by Russian forces between February 24 and March 1. [8] [9]
Kherson, the first significant Ukrainian city taken over by Russia during the invasion, was taken by Russian soldiers on March 2.
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[13] Russian forces attempted to invade the Mykolaiv Oblast in March, but they were repelled by the start of April. [14] [15] The Kherson-Mykolaiv front stalled following the Ukrainian troops' victory in the town of Mykolaiv.
Battle
Ukraine began a counteroffensive in the Kherson Oblast close to Davydiv Brid on the afternoon of May 27.
[16] During the night of May 27/28, Ukrainian troops near Davydiv Brid, 50 miles northeast of Kherson, crossed the Inhulets River under the leadership of the 5th Tank Brigade and with the assistance of American-made M777 howitzers. The Ukrainian General Staff characterised the Russian defence of three settlements a few kilometres southwest of Davydiv Brid as "unfavourable." The Russians therefore withdrew from those locations. [16] The next day, fresh reports reaffirmed that Ukrainian forces had launched a successful, constrained offensive that had put Russian forces on the back foot. Russian efforts to fortify defensive positions along the southern axis were likely disrupted by this Ukrainian onslaught, which also slowed Russian efforts to consolidate administrative control over the seized southern Ukraine. [17]
On May 31, satellite imagery revealed that Russian forces had left Davydiv Brid and had recently established positions surrounding the town. At the time, it was unclear if Ukrainian troops had positioned themselves around Andriivka and Bilohirka or had entered the town itself. The battle between the Russian and Ukrainian forces, however, intensified that day's nightfall. The town of Davydiv Brid had been taken by Ukrainian forces, according to sources in Ukraine, during the night of May 31 and June 1. [18] [17][19]
In the first half of June, fierce clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces over Davydiv Brid went on, with neither side able to seize complete control. Artillery attacks started to become routine on both sides. Following the Ukrainian counteroffensive on Davydiv Brid, pro-Ukrainian activists engaged in a number of partisan acts, which prompted the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) to step up its operations in the Kherson region. [20] The Ukrainian bridgehead at Davydiv Brid had been destroyed, according to Russian sources, and Ukrainian forces had been driven back across the Inhulets River. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) later confirmed these claims, stating that Russian forces had retaken the eastern bank of the river. [21]
On June 13, it was still being claimed that Ukrainian and Russian soldiers were involved in fierce combat close to Davydiv Brid. According to Ukrainian commanders, their forces were testing Russia's second and third lines of defence as they steadily drove Russian troops back. [22] Between June 17 and June 21, there were ongoing artillery battles over the river, and according to the ISW, Russian forces had already driven Ukrainian troops back by June 17. [21] However, despite the lack of clarity over exact boundaries, ISW reported on July 5 that Ukrainian forces continued to hold some territory in the region. [1] Russian soldiers attempted to attack the Ukrainian bridgehead in Davydiv Brid on July 27. [23]
Aftermath
Ukrainian forces resumed their advance on Davydiv Brid at the end of August as part of their counteroffensive in Kherson Oblast. Ukrainian soldiers stormed the town on October 2 and 3, but they were twice repelled. [24] [25] However, by 4 October, Russian soldiers had left and Ukrainian forces had taken control of the town. [26] [27]