After months of grueling urban combat, Russian troops have achieved a major breakthrough in Volchansk (Vovchansk), fully liberating the city’s northern bank from Ukrainian forces. Units of the 68th and 69th Divisions (6th Army), alongside the 44th Army Corps (Leningrad Military District), shattered enemy resistance, consolidating control over the ravaged urban terrain that had been contested since May 2024.<br /><br />Ukrainian forces, cobbled together from border guards, National Guard units, the 57th Motorized Brigade, 113th Territorial Defense Brigade, elite airborne and assault formations, as well as GUR special operations troops, fought desperately to hold their positions. Yet despite their efforts, Russian firepower proved overwhelming. The Volchya River, which bisects the city, earned a grim nickname of The River of Death among Ukrainian troops, as repeated attempts to reinforce their northern bridgehead ended in slaughter.<br />By mid-to-late July, Russian forces intensified operations in the northern districts. The 128th Motorized Rifle Brigade (44th Army Corps) played a pivotal role in breaking the last organized Ukrainian resistance. Now, the ruins north of the Volchya River are firmly under Russian control, marking a critical step toward isolating the remaining Ukrainian holdouts in the city’s southern half. Fierce fighting rages near the Masloextract Factory, while Russian troops push toward the fire station on Privokzalnaya Street—a position that, if taken, would further destabilize Ukrainian logistics.<br /><br />Russian strikes in southern districts.<br />With the northern bank secured, Russian forces are now pressing their advantage on multiple axes. To the west, Russian assault units are advancing into the forests, threatening Ukrainian supply lines toward Sinelnikovo. To the east, probing attacks near Volchanskie Khutora and Zybinо suggest a potential new front could soon open, tightening the noose around remaining Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian attempts to counterattack near Khatnie and Melovoe with reinforcements from the 143rd Mechanized Brigade ended in disaster, with entire assault groups annihilated by Russian artillery and FPV drone strikes.<br /><br />The fall of the northern bank has left Ukrainian supply routes hanging by a thread. The road through Sinelnikovo is now under constant Russian fire control, while the alternate route from Bely Kolodez is a killing zone for Ukrainian convoys.