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A military from Lviv narrated how he helped blow up a bridge across the Siverskyi Donets and stop the Russians. He wrote about this on his Twitter.

On May 12, the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that paratroopers of the 80th separate airborne assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine had destroyed at least 73 units of Russian equipment. It was flooded by blowing up a bridge across the Siverskyi Donets.

Maksym from Lviv, an officer of the sapper unit, told about it in Twitter.

«Recently, I have accomplished a mission which made huge impact on Russian losses and completely screwed up their plans to encircle Lysychansk. Initially, there was intelligence from frontline units that there are Russians on the other side of the river and they gather various vehicles. So, my commander asked on 6th May me as one of the best military engineers to do engineering reconnaissance on Siverskyi Donets river. Together with recon units for backup, I went to explore the area of Hryhorivka and Bilohorivka on 7th May. Frontline units in Bilohorivka reported multiple RU vehicles gathering on the other side of the river,» – Maksym writes.

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He says that after exploring the area, he suggested a place where the Russians could try to build a pontoon bridge to cross to the other side. He also used rangefinders and determined that the river was 80 meters wide, so the Russians would need 8 parts (10 meters each) of the connected bridge to get to the other side.

«With that flow of the river, I knew they would need motorized boats to arrange such a bridge, and it would take them at least two hours of work. Took me a day to check everything. And I had to do it on 8th of May as well. So, reported this information I had to my commanders. Also, I told the unit who observed that part of the river that they need to be on the look out for sound of motor boats. Visibility was shit in the area because Russians put fields & forests on fire, and were throwing a lot of smoke grenades. On top of that, it was foggy. They had to hear the sound. And they did on May 8th early morning. Right at the place I said. I was there to check it as well – and I have seen with my drone as Russians do the pontonne bridge. Reported immediately to commanders. Looking back, I think my recon + hints to the river unit made the biggest impact. I outplayed RU mil engineers.» – the military wrote.

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He says that the Russians tried to build the bridge exactly where he assumed the River Division did not see the Russian units, but heard the motor boats and immediately reported it. The artillery was ready.

«We have been able to confirm Russians mounted 7 parts of the bridge out of 8. Russians have even succeeded to move some troops and vehicles over the river. Combats started. 8. In ~20 minutes after recon unit confirmed Russian bridge being mounted, HEAVY ARTILLERY engaged against Russian forces, and then aviation chipped in as well. I was still in the area, and I have never seen/ heard such heavy combat in my life. After one day of combats, 9th May morning the bridge was down. Some Russian forces (~30-50 vehicles + infantry) were stuck on Ukrainian side of the river with no way back. They tried to run away using broken bridge. Then they tried to arrange a new bridge.Then, Aviation started heavy bombing of the area and it destroyed all the remains of Russians there, and other bridge they tried to make. Rumors say it’s ~1500 RU dead. Their strategic objective was to cross the river and then encircle Lysychansk. They miserably failed,» – said the military.

In the battle, Maxym adds, more than 1,500 Russians were killed. Their strategic goal was to cross the river and then surround Lysychansk. They failed. On May 10, the pontoon bridge was completely destroyed.

From texty.org.ua and the original tweet, translated by Vitalii Holich

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