10 Mar: Nasty One! Ukrainians Use Massive JDAM Bombs - Reporting from Ukraine

[TexasTowelie]

Day 380: March 10

Last time I told you that Russian forces increased the fire control over the retreat routes from Bakhmut, which caused a spike in Ukrainian losses of cars and armored vehicles. I also told you that there were strong indicators that Ukrainians started to take measures to widen the corridor.

The freshest reports suggest that Ukrainians managed to not only start taking measures but also achieved noticeable results. One of the most important events that happened here is that Ukrainians established a pontoon bridge in Khromove. As you remember, when Russians were rapidly advancing in this area, Ukrainians blew up the bridge to complicate the situation for Russians in case Ukrainians would have been pushed away. The restoration of this bridge means that Ukrainians pushed Russians far enough from Khromove to start using the main highway that connects Bakhmut with the mainland. With more roads available to them, cutting supplies becomes exponentially more difficult.

The first reason why Ukrainians managed to push Russians away is that Ukrainians have successfully entangled Russians in urban fighting. Today a lot of sources confirmed that Russians started storming the AZOM industrial area. This is the most fortified part of the town, comparable to the industrial area in Mariupol. It has a lot of workshops and tens of floors underground, which require significant resources to control and assault. AZOM is the most favorable place for the Ukrainians to give the next fight.

The second reason why Ukrainians managed to push Russians from Khromove is that Russians temporarily shifted their focus to Dubovo-Vasylivka. For many days they had been trying to establish full control over this small village but were unable to assume permanent presence because Ukrainians controlled too many checkpoints around the settlement and were constantly firing at them. That is why over the last 2 days, Wagner forces have been conducting more than 30 assaults per day only in this small area. It means that more than 35% of all fights around Bakhmut were taking place here, so it is not surprising that their success here came at a cost to their operation somewhere else.

At first glance, it seems surprising that Wagner forces decided to sacrifice their progress around Khromove, where they deployed their most elite formations in an attempt to encircle Bakhmut. However, as you remember, Ukrainians have reportedly started preparing for a counteroffensive operation in this region, and one of the focal points of their plan is precisely the area around the Sloviansk highway. A lot of Russian sources reported that one of the main axes of Ukrainian advance would go along this highway, and there are a lot of indicators that Ukrainians have gathered a noticeable amount of force near Minkivka. With that in mind, we can see that Russians are trying to establish as big a buffer zone as possible in order to secure their flanks.

But Ukrainians delivered a huge blow from a completely opposite side. Several days ago, a huge explosion was reported near Kurdiumivka. Later it was reported that Ukrainians tested their new highly destructive weapon on Russian positions. Today DPR officials confirmed that Ukrainians started using JDAM bombs. A JDAM bomb is a precise guided munition that is capable of striking targets up to 40 km away. As you can see, one such bomb practically destroyed half of Zelenopillia. This means that 8 such bombs can completely clear the region and open Ukrainians the way into the highlands, and once Ukrainians move their equipment here and establish full control over the high ground, Wagner forces will face an unprecedented threat.

However, this view is not shared by NATO Chief, who remains convinced that Bakhmut should fall within days. Other high-ranking military officials are saying that Ukraine needs to step back from Bakhmut because it bears no strategic significance, so Ukrainians are just fighting for a useless city at the expense of their counteroffensive operation in the south. Ukrainian officials state that NATO does not fully understand the situation in Bakhmut and undervalues the reasons why Ukrainian commanders decided to focus on this region. The Institute for the Study of War sides with the Ukrainian side and evaluates that the Battle for Bakhmut became a strategic effort because the Wagner forces started increasingly using their best troops in an attempt to finish the Bakhmut story. This means that Ukrainians can reduce the most capable Russian assault formation, which will favorably influence the coming counteroffensive.

[Mopar151]

1. Putin's Orcs are in a bad spot.and

Their "best" soldiers are being ground up, by weather, lack of decent equipment, vodka, bad food, and drunk officers. Not to mention Ukrainians, who would love to fly one of those JDAM bombs right into the staging area for Russia's attack.

[Phoenix61]

2. Seems Zelensky has some excellent commanders.

I think I trust these guys more then the chief of NATO.
“The Institute for the Study of War sides with the Ukrainian side and evaluates that the Battle for Bakhmut became a strategic effort because the Wagner forces started increasingly using their best troops in an attempt to finish the Bakhmut story.”