The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: the Russian army “attacks intensively” in the Kurakhiv direction

The defense forces are “directing their efforts to disrupt the execution of the Russian invaders’ offensive plans and exhaust their combat potential,” the General Staff of the Armed Forces reported in its evening briefing on November 19.

Since the beginning of the day, the command recorded 130 combat clashes. In particular, Russian troops attacked five times near Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, another 11 times in the Kupyansk direction near Kindrashyvka, Lozova, Petropavlivka, Zagryzovo, Pershotravnevo, and Kruglyakivka.

Also, the Russian army stormed the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine 14 times in the Lymansk direction, eight times in the Toretsk direction. One skirmish took place in the Kramatorsk direction.

During the day, Russian troops carried out 37 assault and offensive actions in the Pokrovsky direction, four battles are still ongoing. The command records their greatest activity near Promeny, Lysivka, Petrivka, Dachenskyi, Myrolyubivka, Novotoretskyi, Yuryivka, Pustinka and Pushkini.

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“The enemy is intensively attacking our units in the Kurakhiv direction. At this time of the day, there are 22 attacks. “Terrorists tried to advance in the areas of Novoselidivka, Sontsivka, Berestki, Kurakhovo, Dalnyi, Elizavetivka and Antonivka, currently one battle is taking place near Sontsivka,” the headquarters says.

Also, the Russian invaders attacked 15 times in the Vremivsk direction with the support of aviation and “unsuccessfully” tried to advance in the direction of Novoandriivka in the Orichivsk direction. The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled two Russian attacks in the Dnieper direction in the Kherson region.

“The operation of the Defense Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region is ongoing. Today, Ukrainian defenders repelled more than 20 attempts by the occupiers to knock our units out of their positions,” the command added.

The American Institute for the Study of War stated in its report on November 17 that the Russian army will probably focus in the winter of 2024-2025 on the capture of front-line Ukrainian cities and on urban battles.

According to the project of Radio Liberty Donbas.Realii, the main battle of the winter will obviously be the battle for Pokrovsk, to which the Russian army is approaching from the south and southeast.