Battle of Pavlivka

Battle of Pavlivka
Part of Eastern Ukraine offensive of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Date 29 October – 14 November 2022 (2 weeks and 2 days) Location Pavlivka, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine Result Russian victory [1]
Belligerents
Russia   Donetsk People's Republic	Ukraine
Commanders and leaders
Alexander Khodakovsky [2]	Andriy Mikheichenko [3]
Units involved
Russian Armed Forces   Russian Navy Russian Naval Infantry 155th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade [4] 40th Naval Infantry Brigade [4] DPR People's Militia	Ukrainian Armed Forces   Ukrainian Ground Forces 72nd Mechanized Brigade 53rd Mechanized Brigade [3]
Casualties and losses
303+ casualties [5] [6] 101 casualties (155th Brigade) [7]	Unknown

The Battle of Pavlivka was a military engagement of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the small village of Pavlivka, Volnovakha Raion. The village had been on the active frontline for months after the Russian offensive in Zaporizhzhia Oblast stalled, and it changed hands multiple times. ^{[8] [9] [10]} In the morning of 29 October 2022, armed forces of the Russian Federation launched a major offensive against the village as part of an effort to capture Vuhledar. On 14 November, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reported the capture of the town. ^[1]

Background

Pavlivka lies just south of Vuhledar, a key high ground that enables Ukrainian forces to shell Volnovakha with conventional 152/155mm artillery, an important railway and supply hub of the RuAF in south-central Donetsk Oblast. In the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces captured Volnovakha, enabling them to storm the expanse between Volnovakha and Mariupol while also pushing north and reaching Pavlivka and the Kashlahach River. ^[11] Ukrainian forces withdrew to Vuhledar, where the frontline has since stagnated.

On 21 June, Ukrainian forces launched a localized counter-attack, recapturing Pavlivka and Mykilske with minimal casualties. ^[11] Ukrainian forces also recaptured Shevcheko on the following day, ^[12] and reaching Yehorivka on the 27th. ^[13] Since then, Russian forces have encroached on the town's southern outskirts since, although intense fighting did not erupt until late October. Senior Lt. Andriy Mikheichenko, who led the counter-attack, claimed that Russian forces attempted to regain lost positions in the following days, but were ultimately repulsed.

Battle

In the night of 28–29 October, Russian forces launched a large offensive on Pavlivka, a small town south of Vuhledar. During the attack, the southeastern part of the town was captured by Russian soldiers, and the entire town became contested between Ukrainian and Russian forces. ^[14] Pro-Russian sources made varying claims ranging between half to full Russian control of the town, although none of these claims could be independently verified at the time. ^[15] Fighting intensified on 1 November, with Ukrainian forces defending the northern part of Pavlivka near the Kashlahach river. ^[16]

On 3 November the Russian Army's 155th Naval Infantry Brigade launched an offensive towards Pavlivka, suffering heavy casualties. The commander of the brigade posted a video pleading to the Primorye Oblast governor, where the NIB was originally located at, for help, as the brigade had suffered 300 casualties in the past four days, over a tenth of its manpower. ^[17] By 14 November, Russian forces claimed they secured Pavlivka. ^[1] Some Russian opposition outlets claimed that only 19 out of 120 Russian servicemen of the 155th Brigade survived the battle for Pavlivka. ^[7]

Analysis

On 27 November, the UK's Ministry of Defense claimed that both Russia and Ukraine had significant forces committed to this sector, with the Russian Naval Infantry having suffered heavy casualties. It claimed that the area remained heavily contested, likely partially because Russia assessed the area had potential as a launch point for a future major advance north to capture the remainder of Ukrainian-held Donetsk Oblast. However, the MoD believed that Russia was unlikely to be able to concentrate sufficient quality forces to achieve an operational breakthrough. ^[18]

Aftermath – Vuhledar Offensive

Main article: Battle of Vuhledar

On 24 January 2023, Russian sources widely reported that Russian forces launched an offensive around Vuhledar, with elements of the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade of the Pacific Fleet breaking through Ukrainian defences in the Vuhledar area and advancing north of Pavlivka and west of Mykilske. ^[19] The attempted advance was confirmed the following day by the Ukrainian military. ^[20]

References

1. RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, NOVEMBER 14
2. "The Village of Pavlivka is A 'Furnace' Burning up Russian Marine Brigades". Forbes .
3. Gall, Carlotta; Lima, Mauricio (21 July 2022). "A Village Retaken, and a Confidence Boost for Ukraine's Troops". The New York Times.
4. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment". Institute for the Study of War. (n.d.). 3 November 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
5. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 7. Institute for the Study of War. (n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2022".
6. Russian Marines Are Getting Killed And Wounded By The Hundreds In Ukraine
7. RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, NOVEMBER 22
8. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 29
9. Бурдейна, Олена (16 November 2022). "Окупанти закріплюються в Павлівці на Донеччині - карта". StopCor (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 17 November 2022.
10. Илья Абишев (15 October 2022). "Российские войска захватили Павловку ценой больших потерь. Зачем им это село?" [Russian troops captured Pavlivka at great cost. Why did they need the village?]. bbc.com. BBC News Русская служба. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
11. Gall, Carlotta; Lima, Mauricio (21 July 2022). "A Village Retaken, and a Confidence Boost for Ukraine's Troops". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 12 December 2022.
12. "General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine afternoon report". 23 June 2022.
13. "General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine morning report". 27 June 2022.
14. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 31
15. "Russian breakthrough unlikely at Vuhledar, south-central Donetsk Oblast - British Intelligence". Euromaidan Press. 27 November 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
16. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 1
17. "Russian marine says "deserting" Ukraine front line only way to stay alive". Newsweek. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
18. "??, M. of D. (2022, November 27). (1/4) the area around the towns of Pavlivka and Vuhledar in south-central Donetsk Oblast has been the scene of intense combat over the last two weeks, though little territory has changed hands. Twitter. Retrieved December 5, 2022".
19. "Russian offensive campaign assessment, January 24, 2023. Institute for the Study of War". 24 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
20. RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, JANUARY 25, 2023