The Ukrainian military destroyed a Russian pontoon crossing and part of a Russian armored column while trying to cross the river in the Donbas. This is evidenced by footage published by the Ukrainian military on Friday. It is still impossible to estimate the possible losses of the Russians.

The footage published by the command of the assault troops of Ukraine shows several burned military vehicles and partially flooded parts of the pontoon bridge. The pictures also show many damaged or abandoned cars, including tanks – in the woods and on the road leading to the river, writes Reuters.

In a intelligence report on Friday, the British Ministry of Defense said that Ukrainian troops had successfully prevented Russian attempts to cross the river in the Donbass.

Referring to the photo, the ministry claims that during the crossing of the Seversky Donets west of Severodonetsk, Russia lost significant forces – at least one battalion tactical group, and pontoon bridge equipment was disabled during the forcing of the river.

Crossing the river in a conflict is considered an extremely risky maneuver, and this indicates pressure on the Russian command to make progress in eastern Ukraine, according to the British Ministry of Defense.

The day before, the adviser to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Victor Andrusiv declared that it happened near Belogorivka in the Luhansk region. Andrusiv claimed that the Ukrainian military “broke up an entire battalion-tactical group.”

According to Andrusiv, the battalion-tactical group could be part of the Russian 74th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade and lost more than 50 units of equipment out of 70.

The BBC cannot promptly verify this statement.

This is a scene of absolute devastation – an attempt to bypass the Ukrainian defense from the flank failed miserably.

Burnt Russian tanks and armored vehicles near the eastern bank of the Seversky Donets River, west of Severodonetsk in the Luhansk region. Semi-built pontoon bridges were covered by water.

It is believed that Russian forces lost almost an entire battalion of equipment, how many people died – is unknown.

At a morning briefing, the British Ministry of Defense said that this indicates increased pressure on the Russian command.

But elsewhere, they seem to have advanced – according to reports, they took the nearest town, Rubizhne. This would mean that the strategically important city of Severodonetsk is surrounded on three sides.

If Russian troops can take it, they will control a number of crossings across the Seversky Donets.

Kyiv says Ukraine has been displacing Russian troops in the Kharkiv region in recent days. The main efforts of the Russian military in the Kharkiv direction are aimed at preventing the advance of Ukrainian forces in the area of the settlement of Vesele, according to the morning report of the Ukrainian General Staff.

At the same time, Russia is trying to advance in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, according to the report. The Russian Defense Ministry has not commented on the situation in recent days and reports only air strikes. The British Ministry of Defense wrote in a review on Friday that Russia was making significant efforts south of Kharkiv, near Izyum and Severodonetsk, in an attempt to make a breakthrough in the direction of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk.

Reuters confirmed that Ukraine currently controls the area off the banks of the Seversky Donets River, about 40 km southeast of Kharkiv.

The head of the military administration of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, said on Friday that houses in the region had been shelled 31 times last night. According to him, after the capture of Popasna, Russian troops are storming Orekhovo and the Kamyshevakha area.

In addition to the fighting in Luhansk and Donetsk regions, the world continues to monitor the siege of Azovstal in Mariupol.

Information about the evacuation of wounded Ukrainian servicemen from the plant has not been confirmed yet, Mariupol Mayor’s Adviser Petro Andryushchenko said on Friday. He claims that the Russian military, under cover of shelling, is trying to break into the company by land.

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