Russian forces constrained in Bakhmut area to defend against Ukrainian counterattacks – ISW

This is said in a new report released by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), according to Ukrinform.

“Pervasive issues with Russian combat capability, exacerbated by continued attritional assaults in the Bakhmut area, are likely considerably constraining the ability of Russian forces in this area to defend against localized Ukrainian counterattacks,” the report says.

As an example, ISW said that the 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade itself is emblematic of many of the endemic force generation issues constantly faced by the Russian military.

Thus, ISW reported on August 7, 2022, that the 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade was forming in Russia’s Orenburg region as part of the 3rd Army Corps, a new formation created in 2022 and largely comprised of volunteer battalions. According to media reports, the 3rd Army Corps was deployed in Kharkiv region in September of 2022 and the Ukrainian Kharkiv region counteroffensive largely destroyed the corps’ constituent elements, likely including the 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade.

ISW also reminded that Ukrainian media suggested that the surviving elements of the 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade may have redeployed to Mykolaiv region following the Kharkiv region counteroffensive, where they once against suffered losses during Ukraine’s southern counteroffensive in October 2022.

At the same time, ISW cannot confirm where the 72nd Brigade deployed to following the withdrawal of Russian forces from the west (right) bank of the Dnipro River. However, according to the analysts, it is highly likely that whatever elements of the 72nd Brigade that deployed to the Bakhmut area more recently are not operating at anywhere near full strength.

“The Russian military command’s apparent commitment of elements of a formation that has suffered two successive defeats to the Bakhmut axis alongside already attrited Wagner elements likely offer Ukrainian forces opportunities to exploit with limited counterattacks,” the report says.

As reported by Ukrinform, according to the General Staff, from February 24, 2022 to May 11, 2023, the Defense Forces of Ukraine eliminated about 196,920 Russian aggressors, including 610 invaders over the past day alone.