This is shown by a shot of a camouflaged T-80 tank from March 4, which is shelling Ukrainian positions south of the village of Hirke. The tank belongs to one of the units of the 68th Army Corps, apparently from the 39th Motorized Rifle Brigade. Another shot from March 7 shows a soldier from this brigade launching a drone in the Zaporozhye region.
Units from the 68th Army Corps moved from Vuhledar to Torecko last March and were deployed near Pokrovsk and Dobropillje in June. While Pokrovsk has already been occupied by the Russians, there is still a fight for Dobropillje, the Institute for the Study of War reported. This year’s move to the Zaporozhye region shows that Russia is trying to stop Ukrainian counterattacks near Hulyajpol. The 40th Marine Brigade was moved there from Dobropillje at the end of February, as well as components of the newly formed 55th Marine Division.
Russia has a problem with priorities
Already in January, the 76th Airborne Division and other airborne units were moved from Pokrovsk to Zaporizhia near Orichiv, which were supposed to prepare there for the planned spring offensive. Now, however, they are also trying to stop the advancing Ukrainians.
These movements show confusion in the Russian command. Not only does he currently have to react to Ukrainian counterattacks, but he is unable to set his priorities firmly – on the one hand, he considers the most important goal to be conquering the entire Donetsk region, on the other hand, he is sending troops from it to the southwest to the Zaporozhye region to seize Orichivu, the Institute for the Study of War said.
