01 Dec: Nice. Ukrainians unleash JDAM bombs on the Russian bases in large numbers - Reporting from Ukraine

[TexasTowelie]

Today there are a lot of important updates from the Kurakhove direction.

Here, as Russian forces desperately amassed troops and supplies to intensify their assault on Kurakhove, Ukrainian defenders seized the moment with precision strikes. Tracking the enemy’s every move, they unleashed the devastating force of JDAM-guided bombs, obliterating key Russian bases and supply hubs in a series of airstrikes that destroyed the Russian's plans for massive penetration.

Russian forces had previously established a presence in the eastern part of Kurakhove, specifically in the Roya residential district, which provided staging grounds for urban operations. This encouraged an intensification of their assault on the town. However, the western Ukrainian-held part consists of two large districts of nine-floor high-rise buildings and the industrial zone around the Kurakhove Thermal Power Plant. A narrow gully separates the eastern and western parts of the town, exposing Russian forces in the open to Ukrainian fire from the high-rises. Russian positions on the eastern outskirts, consisting of one-story houses and a farm complex, were further disadvantaged, as they were under constant fire control from Ukrainian forces in the high-rise areas.

Despite their tactical disadvantages, Russian forces are pushing relentlessly to gain ground in the western part of Kurakhove, suffering severe losses as Ukrainian defenders decimate their assaults. However, to initiate any attack, the Russians must first deploy their forces into the part of the town they control. This has proven difficult, as Ukrainian drones maintain constant surveillance over the road connecting the Russian-held area of Kurakhove with their rear, complicating their movement and logistics.

Combat footage from the area shows Russian armored vehicles being destroyed on the road to Kurakhove by FPV drones. The attrition caused by Russian columns forced many soldiers to abandon their vehicles and seek cover in nearby ditches or tree lines. This only slowed their elimination, as Ukrainian drone operators targeted and destroyed the remaining survivors. Many Russian tank crews, fearing brutal destruction from ammo detonations—which often obliterate tanks during intense assaults in Kurakhove—panicked and drove into ditches. As a result, most of the assaulting Russian forces were destroyed before reaching the town, forcing Russian command to order the survivors to dismount and hide in the eastern outskirts.

Given the significant challenges Russian forces face in even reaching the outskirts of Kurakhove, they are attempting to gather forces for assaults as close to the town as possible. Ukrainian forces, recognizing the lack of cover and settlements for the Russians, have found it easier to detect movement and identify key logistical nodes. As a result, Ukrainian forces have intensified their precision strikes in the region, unleashing their stockpiles of JDAM-guided bombs.

The first target of the Ukrainian airstrike was a Russian base at a prison over six kilometers from Kurakhove, where soldiers and ammunition were deployed to sustain attacks on the town. The second strike targeted a Russian base in Donetsk City, resulting in the destruction of a platoon-sized assault group with four BTR-82A armored vehicles. These strikes are breaking down Russian forces by forcing them to reorganize and recover from hits on their command posts and force concentrations, disrupting their attacks. The third strike hit a large building in Sontsivka, housing Russian stormtroopers preparing for further assaults on Kurakhove. Such airstrikes destroy large concentrations of Russian troops, forcing delays in their offensive plans on the northern flank, giving Ukrainians valuable time to reinforce their defenses.

Overall, the Russian offensive efforts around Kurakhove mark the decline of Russian tactical gains due to the predictability of their attacks and the vulnerability of their rear positions, which are being successfully targeted by the Ukrainians. The lack of gains on most frontlines and the impact of heavy losses and rear strikes on Russian forces will force them to reconsider their tactics and change their approach if they want to achieve any meaningful territorial gains. Ukrainian forces, on the other hand, managed to halt the Russian assaults and force them to pause their attacks for a while, giving them time to further reinforce their defenses to more effectively counter future Russian attacks.

[niyad]

1. Slava Ukraini. Thank you for the update.