Armed Forces Of Ukraine Advance In Donetsk Region

The battle maps.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces warriors advanced in the western part of the Donetsk region, close to Vuhledar.

This has been reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Situation in the Luhansk and Kharkiv regions

Russian forces continued ground attacks near Kreminna and have made an incremental advance northwest of Kreminna as of April 28. Geolocated footage posted on April 28 shows that Russian forces have advanced in an area about 10 km northwest of Kreminna.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive operations near Dibrova (5 km southwest of Kreminna), the Serebrianske forest area (10km south of Kreminna), and Bilohorivka (10km south of Kreminna). A Russian milblogger claimed that Russian troops unsuccessfully attacked towards Torske and Terny, both about 13 km west of Kreminna.

Fighting at the Donbas

Russian forces are increasing pressure against the T0504 Kostyantynivka-Chasiv Yar-Bakhmut highway. Geolocated footage posted on April 27 shows that Russian forces advanced to the Bakhmut Industrial College on the T0504 in southwestern Bakhmut.

Other geolocated footage shows Ukrainian forces conducting a controlled withdrawal from one building along the T0504, suggesting that Russian forces also advanced in that area. The Ukrainian General Staff reported for the first time on April 27 that Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian ground attack in the direction of Chasiv Yar (9 km west of Bakhmut).

Russian forces continued ground attacks in and around Bakhmut on April 27. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces continued attacks within Bakhmut and that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian ground attacks in the direction of Bohdanivka (5 km northwest of Bakhmut).

Russian milbloggers claimed that Wagner Group forces broke though Ukrainian defensive lines in central Bakhmut and continued attacking Ukrainian positions in northern, southern, and western Bakhmut. The milbloggers also claimed that Russian forces attacked near Orikhovo-Vasylivka (11 km northwest of Bakhmut) and Ivanivske (6 km west of Bakhmut). One “military correspondent” claimed that Ukrainian forces conducted counterattacks near Khromove (immediately west of Bakhmut) and Bohdanivka.

Russian forces continued ground attacks along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line on April 28. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian ground attacks near Avdiivka, Sieverne (5 km west of Avdiivka), Pervomaiske (11 km southwest of Avdiivka), Krasnohorivka (22 km southwest of Avdiivka), Marinka (27 km southwest of Avdiivka), and Novomykhailivka (10 km southwest of Donetsk City).

A Russian milblogger claimed that Russian forces advanced near Krasnohorivka on April 27. Another milblogger claimed on April 28 that Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions on the southwestern approach to Avdiivka.

Ukrainian forces have advanced in western Donetsk region as of April 28. Geolocated footage posted on April 28 shows that Ukrainian forces advanced southwest of Pavlivka (3km southwest of Vuhledar).

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that Russian forces struck Ukrainian positions near Pavlivka. Russian forces did not conduct any confirmed or claimed ground attacks in western Donetsk region on April 28.

Russian forces have likely allocated TOS-1A thermobaric artillery systems, military-district level assets, to the Avdiivka and western Donetsk region axes, indicating potential preparations to intensify offensive operations. The Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) posted footage on April 28 purportedly of Russian 40th Naval Infantry Brigade (Pacific Fleet) forces firing a TOS-1A system in the Avdiivka direction, and the Russian MoD stated that Russian forces are operating thermobaric artillery systems in western Donetsk region.

The utilization of TOS-1A systems in the Avdiivka and western Donetsk region axes is unlikely to generate a decisive battlefield advantage for Russian forces, as ISW has previously assessed.

“Southern Axis”

Russian forces continued routine indirect fire and defensive operations in southern Ukraine on April 28. The Ukrainian General Staff noted that Russian troops are defending in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia directions. Russian sources continued to speculate about a potential Ukrainian counteroffensive across the Dnipro River in Kherson region and across the Kakhovka Reservoir in Zaporizhzhia region. Geolocated footage posted on April 28 shows Ukrainian forces striking Russian positions in Korsunka, Kherson region.