Ukrainian troops made a mistake that allowed Russian forces to advance and capture large parts of the village of Ocheretyne. The incident occurred during a rotation between Ukraine’s 47th and 115th Mechanized Brigades. The 47th Brigade was supposed to be relieved by the 115th Brigade along the front line just east of Ocheretyne. However, as the 47th Brigade pulled back, Russia’s 30th Motor Rifle Brigade took advantage of the gap and launched an attack.
The commander of the 47th Brigade, Mykola Melnyk, expressed frustration on Facebook, stating that certain units had left their positions, enabling the drastic advancement of the Russians. He added that he hoped those responsible would be retrained as assault troops. Vadym Chornyy, a spokesperson for the 115th Brigade, denied the allegations, stating that the unit did not abandon its position.
Despite the initial setback, the 47th Brigade rejoined the fight and prevented further Russian advancement. However, Russian forces were able to capture significant portions of the village. Images shared on Telegram showed a Russian flag flying over a building in the war-torn village.
This incident marks the second time in recent weeks that a Ukrainian unit has failed on the eastern front. The think tank, Institute for the Study of War, had previously noted that Russian forces were aiming to make a wide penetration of Ukrainian lines northwest of Avdiivka. The capture of Ocheretyne was seen as part of Russia’s operational-level goal of reaching the Donetsk Oblast administrative boundary via Pokrovsk.
The location of the event is Ocheretyne, which is situated northwest of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine.