Ukraine Holds Its Liberated Positions on Left Bank of Dnipro River – Estonian Intelligence

, 17 November 2023, 14:15

The Estonian Defence Forces Intelligence Centre reports that the Ukrainian Armed Forces managed to hold the liberated positions on the left bank of the Dnipro River from attempts by the Russian invaders to recapture them.

As reported by ERR, Estonian intelligence officers note that on the left bank of the Dnipro River, Ukrainian defenders managed to unite separate bridgeheads near road and railway bridges into a single lane.

At the same time, the report says, the Russian occupiers are trying to drive back the Ukrainian defenders, but not with frontal attacks, but mainly with artillery, sniper fire, mining of the territory and infiltration.

Analysts report that during the week, neither Ukraine nor the Russian Federation achieved significant breakthroughs, which can be explained by the desire to save people and equipment and the deterioration of the weather in the form of increased rains.

Estonian intelligence states that despite the daily losses, the Russian Federation has not abandoned its targets, and its main blow to the October offensive, as before, is still being inflicted in the areas of Avdiivka and Marinka.

Estonian analysts suggest that the goal of the Russian invaders in the offensive on Avdiivka is to surround the Ukrainian city and its defenders.

This complicates the movement of heavy equipment and the launch of drones and also leads to small infantry units going to attacks without serious support for equipment, the report says.

Earlier, UK intelligence indicated that the Russian Federation was concerned about the future supply of Western fighters to Ukraine, so it has accelerated the integration of its A-50 aircraft and S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems.

Before that, UK intelligence said that after the loss of several S-400 air defence systems in Russia, it probably would have to reallocate strategic means of air defence and weaken its air defence elsewhere.