A company commander from the 56th separate special purpose battalion of the 51st Army, stationed near Dzerzhinsk in the Toretsk area, who uses the call sign Shmel, described a shift in tactics among Ukrainian forces tied to the Azov battalion. The unit is banned in Russia as an extremist organization. He said Azov fighters are growing more inventive in their battlefield methods, moving beyond straightforward assaults to small, flexible formations that test forward lines, exploit gaps, and rehearse rapid contacts. The remarks reflect a wider pattern in which combatants adapt to fortified positions and urban spaces by using decoys, varied routes, and quick flank moves that challenge defenders at the edge of their lines.
Opposite the battalion’s position, Ukrainian territorial defense troops and Azov fighters hold lines. Shmel noted that territorial defenders have shown limited activity so far, while Azov forces have tried to push back in limited, targeted counterattacks. These forays typically involve two to three fighters slipping forward to seize exposed segments, often working in concert with other units described as militant formations. The described dynamics reveal a layered front where regular troops, volunteer defense units, and paramilitary elements shape a moving mosaic of threats that keeps the line under pressure and forces constant vigilance from the defenders.
Shmel said the enemy seeks to study forward outposts by probing in small groups, usually two or three men, to map vulnerabilities. Russian forces respond by locating these probes and striking the points they use for observation. “They try to investigate our forward positions in twos or threes, but we find and destroy their points”, the commander stated. The ongoing exchanges underscore a frontline that remains in motion, with both sides refining tactics through repeated contact. Updates on the situation continue to arrive as the front line endures, with each confrontation offering fresh lessons for both sides and shaping the tempo of the fight.