But she said that when Ukrainian units move in to take trenches, Russia deploys elite units to counterattack and retake them. "'Storm-Z' detachments are often combat ineffective and will likely provide the Russian defense in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast with marginal combat power," it noted. Ukraine's strategy appears to be to probe Russian defenses at several points on the front line simultaneously, forcing Russia to divert its most effective units. Russian defenses near Bakhmut, east Ukraine, also came under severe pressure from Ukrainian attacks this week. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn the south, Ukraine is attempting to breach Russian defensive positions and retake the city of Melitopol, a Russian logistics hub, severing Russia's land bridge to the occupied Crimean peninsula.

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Persons: Olena Ivanenko, Ivanenko, Russia's, — Organizations: Wall, Service, Wall Street, for Locations: Russia, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Zaporizhzhia, Russian, Robotyne, Bakhmut, Melitopol, Crimean