The week-long battle at Ugledar was the largest tank battle of the war and was a crushing defeat for the Russians.
The New York Times notes that modern Western tanks in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine will appear on the battlefield in the near future, but the Russian armored vehicles that were brought into battle earlier were already destroyed during the assault. Ugledar.
It is noted that in a prolonged battle, both sides threw tanks into the battle, while the Russians moved forward in columns, and the Ukrainians maneuvered the defense, firing from a distance or from hiding places, when the Russian columns approached closer.
However, Russia not only failed to capture Vuhledar, but also made a mistake that cost Moscow hundreds of tanks at the beginning of the war: the advancing columns were ambushed, the article says.
The fields near Ugledar are literally littered with Russian biotechnical equipment destroyed by Russian corps: blown up by mines, hit by artillery and destroyed by anti-tank missiles.
The publication spoke with the Ukrainian military who fought for Vuhledar.
We studied the roads they traveled on, then hid and waited to shoot ambushes,” the sergeant said.
The lack of experience also hurt the Russians. The most elite units of the army of the aggressor country were defeated in previous battles. They were replaced by those mobilized without combat experience.
As evidence that Russia lacks experienced tankers, the publication cites a case in which Ukrainian soldiers captured a medic who was reassigned to drive a tank.
In Vuhledar, Russia has lost so much equipment that they changed tactics and now resort only to infantry attacks, the Ukrainian commanders said.
Russia's crushing defeat is also acknowledged by Russian military bloggers. Criticizing the military, they blamed the failure of repeated tank assaults on the generals for the wrong tactics.
Tactics “ambushes” of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Ambushes have been a characteristic Ukrainian tactic against Russian armored columns since the early days of the war. While working from a bunker in Vugledar, Lieutenant Bayak spotted the first approaching column of about 15 tanks and APCs in a drone video.
They had prepared a kill zone along the dirt road where the tanks rumbled. It was enough for the commander to give the order on the radio – “To battle!”.
Tankers on the front line / Photo by The New York Times
Anti-tank teams hiding in the forests along the fields and armed with American infrared-guided Javelins and Ukrainian laser-guided Stugna-P missiles prepared their weapons.
Further artillery batteries were ready. The dirt road was kept clear of mines while the fields were littered with them to encourage the Russians to keep pushing, preventing the tanks from turning when the trap was set.
The most vulnerable column of tanks becomes after they open fire and the tankers in a panic try to turn around – leaving for a mined roadside. The blown up vehicles then become a hindrance, slowing down or stopping the convoy. At that moment, Ukrainian artillery opens fire, blowing up additional armor and killing soldiers who got out of the disabled vehicles, – Ukrainian lieutenant Bayak is quoted by NT,
Attention! It is noted that Russian commanders sent armored columns forward due to the lack of other options for dealing with the already well-fortified positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Approximately 3 weeks after the tank battle, repeated assaults on Russian armored vehicles failed.
Repeated assaults failed
The Ukrainian command struck the enemy with HIMARS missiles. Yes, they are usually used in warehouses or barracks, but they also proved to be effective against a stationary tank column.
The UAF also used American M777 and French Caesar howitzers, as well as other Western weapons.
We have destroyed many Russian equipment. What they did wrong was they came to Ukraine, – quotes the publication of the Ukrainian military, summing up the analysis of the defeat of the Russians.
APU fire howitzers at enemy positions / Photo by The New York Times
The main thing about the assault on Ugledar
- The Russians tried to storm Vuhledar in mid-February, but the Ukrainian defenders defeated the elite Russian brigade assigned to do so. At least 500 invaders died.
- Only in a week, the Russian invaders lost 130 units of equipment near Ugledar.
- Soldiers of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Cherny Zaporozhets showed a video showing a cemetery of Russian tanks near Vuhledar.
