Day 407: April 06Today a lot of updates are coming from the Donetsk region. Here, after the recent massive wave of assaults along the whole Avdiivka front, Russians degraded their forces on the ground to the point where certain Russians positions became weak. Ukrainians took advantage of the situation and started from recapturing some of the most important trench networks on this front. Last time I told you that a Russian assault battalion from the 5th Brigade was virtually annihilated in suicidal attacks from Vodiane and that their survival rate was 11%. I also told you that Russian forces started reinforcing this region with mobilized soldiers that are not even specialized in assaults. The freshest reports indicate that Ukrainian forces took advantage of the decreased capabilities of Russian formations south of Avdiivka and conducted a counterattack. There are two important trench networks between Vodiane and Sieverne, and each of them is located on a hill. Russians had established control over one of them a while ago, but the second position turned out to be too strong. Recent footage shows that Ukrainian marines from the 36th Brigade launched extensive artillery preparation on the tree lines in font of Vodiane and then stormed the strongpoint and established total control over the trenches. The increased control over the elevated ground allowed Ukrainians to improve their tactical position significantly. Russian failure to hold this position complicates all their plans for this direction and dispels hopes of taking Avdiivka into a pocket.In the meantime, after months of infantry fights in the fields between Pevomaiske and Nevelske, Russian forces decided to launch several tank assaults. This was the only area around Avdiivka where Russians had not yet tried a heavy attack during this new wave of offensive actions. Unfortunately for Russians, they did not achieve their objectives. Combat footage reveals that the first attack was stopped by artillery. Recent footage features another attempt to push Ukrainians out of Nevelske, however, this time Ukrainian 59th Brigade seems to have adjusted to the situation and brought in more ATGMs to this sector. This time Ukrainians allowed Russians to get much closer, so when Ukrainians opened fire, Russian tanks did not manage to run away. When it comes to the northern part of the region, here Ukrainians made another counterattack. Ukrainian Spokesman for the Tavriisk Group of Forces reported on 3rd March that the Russian 200th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade withdrew from the Avdiivka area for recovery. Ukrainians took advantage of that situation as well and assaulted Russian positions in Novoselivske. Ukrainian soldiers from the 71st Hunting Brigade said that they were clearing these trenches so fast that Russian artillery did not manage to aim in time and was constantly firing at the already cleared trenches behind them. Such a move aims to undermine the Russian tactical position in Novobakhmutivka because these trenches are located on a hill, 90 meters above Novoselivka and Russian ground lines of communication. In the Krasnohorivka area, Ukrainian drone operators from the 110th Mechanized Brigade continued to destroy Russian forces in the trenches in front of Avdiivka. Recently released combat footage indicates that they have cleared at least 5 shelters by dropping mines and grenades into the holes. Since many sectors of the Avdiivka front line are inactive and Russians are either sitting in trenches or firing from mortars, there was too much work for one drone detachment. That is partly why Ukrainians have relocated the famous Madiar’s Birds Drone Battalion. Such news had a bad effect on Russian troops’ morale, which is why Russians even launched an information operation and circulated fake news that Madiar was killed. However, Madiar promptly dispelled the speculations and released a lot of videos with successful drone operations. One video shows how drone operators identified an enemy’s mortar crew, and once the crew went inside the house, they flew the drone through the door and blew it up. Russian sources also complained yesterday that Ukrainians started mining the grenade-dropping drones. This means that whenever Russians shoot it down, Ukrainians detonate it when Russians pick it up.