DONETSK OBLAST, Dec 8 — The drones destroyed four vehicles and wounded two Russian servicemen in the Bakhmut direction, unit commander Yuriy Fedorenko reported.

An Achilles attack drone team from the 92nd Brigade stopped a Russian offensive in the Bakhmut sector. Two infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), a Harpy electronic warfare system and a jeep were destroyed using FPV drones. One vehicle was also hit and two Russian soldiers were wounded.

In November 2022, the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade’s Achilles’ unit hit 245 Russian targets. Over the month, the soldiers managed to destroy 26 pieces of equipment and liquidate six Russian servicemen. They also destroyed 59 pieces of equipment, 35 shelters, 86 Russian positions, 1 UAV pilot position and 32 personnel.

Bakhmut Direction

The Russian army has been actively storming Bakhmut and settlements on its outskirts since July 2022. In December, the offensive intensified, primarily due to units that retreated from the right bank of Kherson region. In addition, the city became the main target of the Wagner PMC of Yevhen Prigozhin, known as Putin’s “cook.” According to analysts, from a military point of view, the capture of Bakhmut made no sense, as it did not provide tactical advantages.

Bakhmut direction in Donetsk Oblast / Map: ISW Interactive Map: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

In early 2023, attacks on Soledar, a town northeast of Bakhmut, about 20 kilometers away, intensified significantly. On January 25, the spokesman for the Eastern Military Group, Serhiy Cherevaty, confirmed that Ukrainian troops had withdrawn from Soledar. In mid-May, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched an offensive to the north and south of Bakhmut to recapture strategic heights and level the front line, and they were successful.

Read the story: Bakhmut under fire: a photo report on city life in Donetsk Oblast during intense hostilities.

On May 20, 2023, Russian authorities announced the complete capture of Bakhmut. The battle for the city lasted almost ten months. The Ukrainian government has already responded to the Russians’ statements.

The Battle of Bakhmut is considered the bloodiest battle since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the bloodiest infantry battle since World War II.

In the Bakhmut sector, Ukrainian troops repelled dozens of Russian attacks in the areas of Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiyivka and Andriivka in Donetsk region. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian defense forces continue their assault operations south of Bakhmut in Donetsk region.

What the 92nd Brigade is known for

More than 100 soldiers from the brigade participated in UN peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the former Yugoslavia.

In mid-March 2014, the brigade’s units went to the Russian-Ukrainian border in the Kharkiv region. At that time, Russia had already occupied Crimea and was conducting military manoeuvres near the Ukrainian border. Later, the brigade participated in the battles for Illovaisk, Debaltseve in Donetsk Oblast, and Stanytsia Luhanska and Shchastia in Luhansk Oblast.

During the 2022 Russian invasion, the brigade participated in the defense of Kharkiv in the Chuhuiv direction.

On September 8, 2022, President Zelensky honored the brigade’s merits during a counteroffensive in the Kharkiv Oblast near Balakliia.

During the September counteroffensive, the brigade captured a T-90A tank, which was believed to have belonged to the 27th Motorized Rifle Brigade. The tank was transferred to the United States in 2023.

In 2023, the 92nd Mechanized Brigade was renamed the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade.

In October 2023, the brigade fought near Bakhmut. On October 7, it was reported that the brigade had killed a major of the Russian Armed Forces.