Reading · Marat Khairullin Substack

[Zin Note: Apologies for being a bit late on this one.]

East Group Area of Responsibility; The two solid blue lines with blue dashes between them represent the Anti-Tank ditch in front of Orekhov. The single solid blue line with blue dashes running parallel to it represents the Pokrovskoe-Gulyaipole defense line. The blue arches running along a solid blue line represent the Novonikolaevka to Orekhov defense line. Where you see blue arches facing alternating directions, that represents blocking positions of the AFU. The yellow line with red dots is the line of combat contact as of February 3rd, 2026.

Message from the Russian Ministry of Defense: "Units of the 'East' Group continued their advance into the depth of the enemy's defense and, as a result of decisive actions, liberated the settlement of Volnoye in Dnepropetrovsk Oblast."

The AFU defensive hub of Pokrovskoe (In the Russian “East” Groups area of responsibility)

While the Ukrainian command is attempting to create the appearance of success in the space south of the city of Zaporozhye and in Dnepropetrovsk Oblast (the Gavrilovka - Ivanovka sector), the "East" Group continues to prepare a bridgehead in the "underbelly" of the enemy's Pokrovskoe defensive hub. The area from the settlement of Dobropasovo (on the right flank) to the settlement of Volnoye (47°55′21″ N 36°08′13″ E, population 45 in 2001), liberated on July 19, on the left flank — with a frontage of about 16 kilometers — is likely being saturated with holding units and prepared as a bridgehead for developing an offensive into the Ukrainian Armed Forces' defensive hub of Zelenaya Dolina - Shevchenkovskoe - Blagodatnoe.

This Ukrainian defensive hub protects the routes of advance to the settlement of Novonikolaevka — a transport center in the southern part of Dnepropetrovsk Oblast. From here, command and supply are organized for the enemy's defensive hubs located to the south — along the T-04-08 rocade — which are linked into a single defensive line from the settlement of Novonikolaevka to the city of Orekhov.

The advance of "East" Group units to the Zelenaya Dolina - Shevchenkovskoe line will allow the Novoye Pole - Khristoforovka hub to be cut off from the H-15 highway and, relying on the right flank along the Volchya River, to develop the offensive along the H-15 highway toward Novonikolaevka. Such an axis of advance will allow the formation of an envelopment of the complex (in terms of terrain) forefield of Trudovoye - Svetlaya Dolina with its system of enemy blocking positions.

[Zin Note 2: I would also like to receive some suggestions for a topic for Marat to cover in the next “Welcome, Marat!” Please leave suggestions in the comments below.]

Brief Frontline Report – July 19th, 2026

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