Graceful maneuvers: how the assault groups prepared the liberation of Razliv village in the DPR

The storming of the Razliv settlement in the DPR, which was captured on April 1, was prepared very carefully. Our fighters used UAVs to study the settlement in advance and practiced all their maneuvers. Immediately before the assault, it was possible to disable all enemy drones with electronic warfare, and he was temporarily "blinded". The Russian military took advantage of this — they threw attack aircraft into the village on armored vehicles and motorcycles. Exclusive details of the fighting were told to Izvestia correspondents by the direct participants in the attack, the stormtroopers of the 29th Guards Combined Arms Army of the Vostok group of forces.

Preparing for the assault

For several days, the military personnel of the Vostok group advanced deep into the enemy's defenses in the area of the previously liberated village of Constantinople. As they approached the village of Razliv, the soldiers of the 36th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade and the 430th Motorized Rifle Regiment began preparing to storm the village.

The details were told to us by a fighter of the 36th brigade with the call sign Dobryak.

"I had to bring the assault group to the village, land it at certain points, divert fire from the fighters with my equipment, and drive back,— he told Izvestia.

He, like other driver mechanics, was taken to the front line so that they could study the terrain where they would have to go forward during the attack.

— They brought us to a certain point in the gray zone, — says the Good man, the details of the preparation. — There we were shown the way with the help of a "bird" drone. Then, with his help, we "walked" along the route. We watched on the screen where the minefields were, how best to avoid them, where to slow down, and where, on the contrary, it was better to gain speed.

He became a driver only two months ago and received the MT-LB, a multi—purpose armored personnel carrier. Before that, he was an infantryman and the experience gained in battles helps him a lot now.

"I know where the enemy is approximately and from where he can open fire," explains the Kind-hearted man. — It always gives you the opportunity to take people to a place where the fire impact will be minimal. They will immediately be able to get close to the enemy, run up to their firing points, throw a grenade and find cover so that they cannot be seen. The assault was planned by the commanders. It was important for me to quickly get my bearings on the spot and properly ensure disembarkation — I succeeded in the Spill.

"Let's go and split up"

"We drove into the Spill well—there was a tank in front," a BMP—1 driver with the call sign Grandfather told Izvestia. "He opened fire on the approach. My machine gunner joined in. We stopped by and dispersed: the tank went about its business, and I went to my landing site. We did everything quickly. The infantry successfully unloaded and began to complete the task, and we went back. But they burned through our armor, really. I don't know what kind of weapon. My shooter was injured, and he's in the hospital right now.

Despite this, the preparations for the assault were carried out efficiently, says the Grandfather. It was the first time he had visited this settlement, but the impression, according to him, was that he had already been to the Spill.

The enemy was also ready for the assault, the fighters are sure.

— I'm unlikely to be mistaken. They shot, threw, threw everything they could at us," says the Grandfather. "There were a lot of "birds" flying. They ask me, "Our people?" Well, it's not like I was up to watching where our people were and where they weren't. But there were a lot of them flying there.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are now trying not to engage in shooting battles - they cannot stand the strain.

— If they see that they are being attacked decisively and put under good pressure, they retreat to the forest plantations, to the basements, — says the Grandfather.

"They snapped back a lot"

An attack aircraft of the 36th brigade with the call sign Ataman was in the forefront of the attackers.

"The EW covered us well for the first two hours, he blinded them," he recalls. — The enemy has lost the "birds" leading the surveillance, and therefore the eyes. There were no FPV drones either. Due to this, we managed to move forward.

The senior gunner with the call sign Raven was also in the assault squad.

—We got to the village on three motorcycles," he recalls. — There were six of us. We drove up to the houses, and we hid motorcycles in some kind of shed. The first three immediately went on the assault — these are our passengers. We moved in the second three. There was a shootout, and they were snapping hard. FPV drones were used, mostly. When we approached, they fired all around, they tried to throw grenades. But we overpowered them, took the first house, and things went slowly.

The second house prevented us from storming the high fence.

"We started shooting at him, and two of them went from the rear," Raven recalls. — With such a maneuver, the enemy was taken by surprise and the house was taken.

The task of the group Raven was in was very clear — to take three houses, help others gain a foothold, and then get on motorcycles and back for reinforcements.

"We did it all," he says. — We are going back, but our equipment is already suitable for every street - the main forces have gone forward. It became easier. We brought three more assault groups to Razliv on motorcycles.

"The task was completed"

Shooting battles began on the streets of the village, and a sweep began.

— There are very few Ukrainians, mostly mercenaries worked. I'm sure of it. You can see it right away by the identification marks, chevrons and uniforms," says the Chieftain. "Shooting battles are going on in such a way that you can hear all the shouts of the enemy. You pass by, and there are documents or other things lying under your feet, all this gives an accurate picture. You can't go wrong.

Now the cleansing of the village has already been completed.

"We took him completely,— adds the Chieftain. — The combat mission has been completed.

Artillery crews and FPV drone operators provided powerful fire support during the attack. They drove the enemy out of the forest plantations, dugouts and fortified positions.

In ten days, about 400 buildings were cleared and more than 150 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed, the Russian Defense Ministry said. As a result, soldiers from Transbaikalia set up the Russian flag at several points of the Spill and began to mine the surrounding area.