Occupants made minor advances in Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian Armed Forces hold positions in Krynky: ISW analysis of hostilities. Map

In recent days, Russian troops have made minor advances near Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia sector and confirmed an offensive near Krynky on the left bank of the Kherson region, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces are holding their positions. The occupiers also claimed to have "captured" the village of Peremoha near Maryinka.

Russian bloggers talked about the "successes" of their forces in some other areas of the front line, but analysts found no evidence of this. What happened at the front on February 21 is described in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Kupyansk and Lyman directions

The day before, positional fighting continued on the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line (near Synkivka, Tabaivka, Terny, Torske and Bilohorivka), but there were no confirmed changes in the front line.

Ivan Shevtsov, a representative of the Ukrainian border guard detachment "Steel Frontier", said that Russian troops on the Kupyansk-Lyman line are attacking with armored vehicles, including tanks, armored personnel carriers and armored personnel carriers due to favorable weather conditions.

According to him, there are 40,000 occupants in a powerful grouping of Russian troops, but it cannot move forward. He did not name the specific area where the enemy is concentrated.

At the same time, ISW analysts noted that Shevtsov's statement is relatively consistent with other Ukrainian statements, according to which, as of February 2, there were 40,000 Russian troops in the Kupyansk sector, and a total of 57,000 invaders had gathered on the Kupyansk-Lyman line.

Bakhmut direction

On February 21, there were no confirmed changes in the front line near Bakhmut, where positional fighting continued in the area of Vyymka, Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, and Klishchiyivka.

A Russian blogger claimed that Russian troops had advanced to Ivano-Daryivka in the Siversky sector, but ISW did not see any visual confirmation of this. The propagandist also said that Russian troops are trying their best to capture Ivanivske, as the village is surrounded by hills to the north and northwest, as well as open terrain to the east and south.

Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets said that Russian forces are concentrating their efforts in the direction of Bohdanivka - Chasiv Yar along the O0506 road and through Bohdanivka - north and northeast of Ivanivske, as well as around Klishchiyivka, bypassing the heights north and northwest of the settlement.

Avdiivka direction

It is noted that Russian troops have recently made a slight advance northwest of Avdiivka and have probably completed operations to "clean up" the city. In particular, the occupiers made a small advance on the eastern outskirts of Lastochkino. Positional fighting continued there and in the area of Stepove, Severne, Pervomayske and Nevelske.

According to propagandists, the occupants are trying to build and stabilize a new defense line in the Avdiivka sector.

Maryinka direction

"No later than February 21, Russian troops captured Peremoha, a small village southwest of Donetsk. Geo-referenced footage shows Russian troops raising a flag on a destroyed building in the western part of Peremoha. Russian and some Ukrainian sources claim that the Ukrainian Armed Forces left Peremoha on February 20," the ISW report says.

It is noted that Russia's 225th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment "seized the settlement after pushing Ukrainian troops out of their positions." Russian bloggers now claim that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have retreated to positions on the hills west of Peremoha, and the invaders "may decide to attack them in the direction of Kostiantynivka or Heorhiivka" along the H-15 highway.

According to analysts, during the "capture" of Peremoha, the occupiers cut the O0532 road running from the recently captured Maryinka (directly west of Donetsk) through Peremoha towards Kostiantynivka, where they could try to advance along this route.

Some propagandists are now claiming that by "taking" Peremoha, Russian troops will be able to conduct offensive operations in the Vuhledar direction or intercept Ukrainian logistics routes leading to Vuhledar.

"Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on reports of the capture of Peremoha by Russian troops," ISW emphasized, although changes in this section of the front have already been recorded on DeepState's dashboard.

The day before, the occupants also advanced to the southern outskirts of Krasnohorivka, but experts have not yet found evidence of this. Today, positional fighting continues near Heorhiivka, Peremoha and Novomykhailivka.

Zaporizhzhya sector

On February 21, in the border area of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, positional fighting continued near Prechystivka, Zolota Niva and Novozlatopol. The occupiers claimed to have made progress near Novodonetsk, but there is no evidence of this.

At the same time, ISW says, Russian troops "have achieved confirmed success" in the western part of Zaporizhzhia region. The analysts refer to geo-referenced footage that allegedly shows the invaders advancing in the western part of Robotyno and west of Verbove.

A Russian blogger, citing unnamed Ukrainian analysts, said that the occupiers had advanced 2.02 km in width and 650 meters in depth near Novoprokopivka, but ISW has not seen any visual confirmation of this.

Positional fighting continued in the area of Verbove, Robotyne and Mala Tokmachka. The commander of the Tavria unit, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, said that Russian troops in the Orikhiv sector are trying to move in small infantry groups and on high-speed all-terrain vehicles, but their attacks are unsuccessful.

Kherson direction

According to ISW, the occupants confirmed an offensive in Krynky on the left bank of the Kherson region, as Russian bloggers continue to deny Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu's recent statement about full control of the village.

"Geo-referenced footage released on February 20 shows that the occupiers have advanced in Krynky. Russian sources mostly claimed that Ukrainian forces retained their positions in the village and that the Russians were not yet in full control," ISW said.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 64 combat engagements took place on the Ukrainian front on February 21. Russian troops attempted an offensive in the Kharkiv region and stormed the positions of the Defense Forces on the left bank of the Kherson region.

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