Battle of Ocheretyne

{{See also|Battle of Avdiivka (2023–2024)}}

Ocheretyne is a Ukrainian settlement in Donetsk Oblast located near the strategically important H20 highway. It is located 15 km north of central Avdiivka and about 35 km north-northwest of Donetsk city, the capital of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic.{{Cite Ukrainian law|type=Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine|number=32-VIII|law=32-VIII|name=Про зміни в адміністративно-територіальному устрої Донецької області, зміну і встановлення меж Волноваського, Новоазовського та Тельманівського районів Донецької області (On the changes in the administrative and territorial structure of Donetsk Oblast, changing and defining the boundaries of the Volnovakha, Novoazovsk and Telmanove Raions of Donetsk Oblast)|date=11 December 2014}}{{cite news|title=In the Donetsk Oblast three district centers removed from the territory seized by militants|url=http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/12/8/7046811/|access-date=31 December 2014|work=Ukrayinska Pravda|date=8 December 2014|language=uk}} Ocheretyne had a population of around 3,000 residents prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

On 16 April 2024, Russian forces advanced towards the settlement, and fighting over the settlement began.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/04/17/7451563/|title=Russian forces advance towards Ocheretyne, Donetsk Oblast – DeepState interactive map|website=Ukrainska Pravda|date=17 April 2024|last=Ivashkiv|first=Olena}} According to Forbes journalist David Axe, Russian troops numbered 10,000, including soldiers from the 15th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, 30th Motor Rifle Brigade, 74th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, elements of the 90th Guards Tank Division and special forces units. Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops numbered only 3,000, including soldiers from the 23rd, 47th, 100th and 115th Mechanized Brigades, the 25th Airborne Brigade, the 3rd Assault Brigade and the 425th Assault Battalion.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/04/26/the-russians-are-rushing-reinforcements-into-their-ocheretyne-breakthrough-the-situation-is-desperate-for-the-ukrainians/|title=The Russians Are Rushing Reinforcements Into Their Ocheretyne Breakthrough. For The Ukrainians, The Situation Is Desperate.|first=David|last=Axe|website=Forbes}} The 115th Mechanised Brigade arrived in Ocheretyne in April 2024. According to Mykola Melnyk, a well-known company commander in the 47th Mechanized Brigade, the 115th Mechanised Brigade left their positions without permission, which led to a breakthrough by Russian forces within 48 hours.{{Cite web |last=Axe |first=David |title=A Ukrainian Brigade Disappeared, And A Russian Brigade Almost Broke Through: How The Battle For Ocheretyne Upended The War In Ukraine This Weekend |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/04/23/a-ukrainian-brigade-disappeared-and-a-russian-brigade-almost-broke-through-how-the-battle-for-ocheretyne-upended-the-war-in-ukraine-this-weekend/ |access-date=2024-04-24 |website=Forbes |language=en}} On 23rd April 2024, Ukrainian media reported that the army's leadership in Kyiv had launched an investigation to find out the reason for the 115th Mechanized Brigade's unauthorized leave. On 23 April, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for Ukraine's Khortytsia Group of Forces claimed that Russian forces were using chemical weapons. However, Voloshyn did not specify what type of chemical weapons were being used.{{Cite web|url=https://kyivindependent.com/military-russian-forces-using-chemical-weapons-to-storm-ocheretyne-situation-difficult/|title=Military: Russian forces using chemical weapons to storm Ocheretyne, situation 'difficult'|date=April 23, 2024|website=The Kyiv Independent}}

On 23 April 2024, Russian milblogers claimed that Russian forces have captured the settlement.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/28/russian-troops-seize-two-villages-near-avdiivka-ukraine|title=Russia makes more gains around Avdiivka as Ukraine awaits US aid|first=Luke|last=Harding|date=April 28, 2024|newspaper=The Guardian}} Later that day, the Ukrainians denied this, and claimed that while Russian troops had entered the village, it remained contested. They also claimed to have killed or wounded 20 Russian soldiers and destroyed seven armored vehicles in a strike the previous day.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kyivpost.com/analysis/31553|title=Analysis: Russian Troops Claim to Grab Ground in Surprise Assault, Threaten Breakthrough in Battleground Avdiivka|first=Stefan|last=Korshak|date=April 23, 2024|website=Kyiv Post}} On 26 April, Voloshyn claimed that Ukraine still controlled two-thirds of Ocheretyne.{{Cite web|url=https://unn.ua/en/news/voloshyn-two-thirds-of-ocheretyne-village-is-under-control-of-ukrainian-armed-forces|title=Voloshyn: two-thirds of Ocheretyne village is under control of Ukrainian Armed Forces | УНН|date=April 29, 2024|website=unn.ua}} He also claimed that Russian forces brought in additional reserves from the 55th Mountain Motor Rifle Brigade to break through the Ukrainian defenses. On 27 April, a speaker of the Ukrainian defense forces stated that Ocheretyne was only partially captured by Russian troops and battles were ongoing.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-27 |title=Бої за Очеретине: росіяни закріпилися в частині селища і кинули в бій чотири бригади |url=https://hromadske.ua/viyna/223051-boyi-za-ocheretyne-rosiiany-zakripylysia-v-chastyni-selyshcha-i-kynuly-v-biy-chotyry-bryhady |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=hromadske.ua |language=uk}}

On 28 April 2024, The Guardian reported that Russian forces captured Ocheretyne and overran Soloviove and Novokalynove. The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed the capture of Ocheretyne on 5 May 2024. Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on the status of Ocheretyne, and the settlement was not mentioned in the daily field report.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-takes-control-ocheretyne-village-ukraines-east-defence-ministry-2024-05-05/|work=Reuters|date=5 May 2024|title=Russia takes control of Ocheretyne village in Ukraine's east -defence ministry}}

The capture of Ocheretyne provided Russian forces the local high ground north of Avdiivka, allowing for further advances northwards and westwards into Donetsk Oblast, and a potential flanking advance west of the Toretsk-New York agglomeration.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

After establishing a foothold in Ocheretyne, Russian forces expanded the buffer zone south of the salient, capturing the villages of Novobakhmutivka and Soloviove in quick succession by 1 May.{{cite web |title=Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 28, 2024 |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-28-2024 |website=Institute for the Study of War |quote=On Sunday, Russia said the nearby village of Novobakhmutivka had fallen to its forces. |access-date=29 April 2024 |language=en |date=28 April 2024}}{{cite web |title=Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 1, 2024 |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-1-2024 |website=Institute for the Study of War |access-date=5 May 2024 |language=en |date=5 May 2024}} Russian troops also advanced west of Ocheretyne, with clashes reported along the Novooleksandrivka-Sokil direction on 3 May.{{cite news|url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/05/3/7454058/|work=Ukrainska Pravda|title=Russians intensify activities on Avdiivka front where 50 attacks occurred over 24 hours – Ukraine's General Staff|date=3 May 2024|access-date=5 May 2024}} The Russians were also advancing on a separate axis east of Ocheretyne, capturing Novokalynove and Keramik by 30 April, according to DeepStateMap.Live.{{cite news|url=https://antikor.com.ua/en/articles/698954-okkupanty_zahvatili_keramik_i_novokalinovo_pod_avdeevkoj|work=Antikor|title=Occupants seized Keramik and Novokalynove near Avdiivka|date=30 April 2024|access-date=5 May 2024}} After capturing Ocheretyne and Keramik, the Russians further advanced northwards and captured Arkhanhelske by 5 May, according to DeepState.{{cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/russian-flag-raised-villages-arkhanhelske-142700710.html|work=The New Voice of Ukraine|title=Russian flag raised in villages of Arkhanhelske and Kotlyarivka, Donetsk Oblast - DeepState|date=5 May 2024}}

The capture of Ocheretyne and surrounding villages allowed Russian forces to begin pushing west towards the Ukrainian logistical hub of Pokrovsk, with a concerted offensive underway by 18 July.

According to DeepStateMap.Live, the capture of Ocheretyne was the fastest penetration into Ukrainian territory by Russian forces in recent months.{{Cite web|url=https://t.me/DeepStateUA/19309|title=✙DeepState✙🇺🇦|website=Telegram}} The capture of at least parts of the village was attributed to a rotational error by Ukrainian military commanders that left the sector mostly undefended and led to Russian forces advancing five kilometers.{{Cite news|title=Russian forces make significant gains in eastern Ukraine|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/23/russian-forces-make-significant-gains-in-eastern-ukraine|first1=Luke|last1=Harding|first2=Dan|last2=Sabbagh|date=23 April 2024|access-date=25 April 2024|work=The Guardian}}{{cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Joe |title=Russian troops advance five miles after Ukrainians left front line unmanned |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/04/24/russia-advances-5-miles-after-error-by-ukraine-forces/ |work=The Telegraph |date=24 April 2024}} Some observers blamed the 115th Mechanized Brigade, which had recently rotated into positions in Ocheretyne and was almost immediately overwhelmed by the Russian army's 30th Motor Rifle Brigade. DeepStateMap claimed in a Telegram post that the leadership of the 115th Mechanized Brigade was "responsible for the collapse of the defense in the entire sector, allowing significant losses".{{Cite web |last=|first=|date=2024-04-29 |title=Ukraine warns of 'worsened' front as Russia claims fresh gains |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/04/29/world/politics/ukraine-front-worsened/ |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=The Japan Times |language=en}} Other observers blamed recent delays in American military aid.{{Cite web|url=https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2024/04/u-s-rushes-aid-to-ukraine-as-russia-presses-near-avdiivka-chasiv-yar.php|title=U.S. Rushes Aid to Ukraine as Russia Presses Near Avdiivka, Chasiv Yar | FDD's Long War Journal|date=April 26, 2024|website=www.longwarjournal.org}}

• List of military engagements during the Russian invasion of Ukraine

{{reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ocheretyne, Battle of}}

Category:Battles of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2024

Category:Donetsk Oblast in the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Category:April 2024 in Ukraine

Category:Battles of the Eastern front of the Russian invasion of Ukraine