Battle of Ocheretyne

Battle of Ocheretyne
Part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Ukrainian soldiers in Ocheretyne after Russian shelling
Date 16–24 April 2024 (1 week and 1 day) Location Ocheretyne, Novokalynove and Arkhanhel's'ke, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine Result Russian victory Territorial changes Russian forces capture Ocheretyne, Novobakhmutivka, Solovyiv and surroundings
Belligerents
Russia	Ukraine
Units involved
Russian Armed Forces 2nd Guards Tank Army 15th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade 41st Combined Arms Army 30th Motor Rifle Brigade 55th Mountain Motor Rifle Brigade 74th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade 90th Guards Tank Division	Ukrainian Armed Forces 3rd Assault Brigade 23rd Mechanized Brigade 25th Airborne Brigade 47th Mechanized Brigade 100th Mechanized Brigade 115th Mechanized Brigade Skala Battalion Territorial Defense Forces 104th Territorial Defense Brigade
Strength
10,000	3,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Heavy

A battle took place in and around the village of Ocheretyne, Donetsk Oblast, in April 2024, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Background

Ocheretyne is a Ukrainian settlement in the Donetsk Oblast, near the strategically important H20 highway, about 35 km north-northwest of Donetsk, the capital of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic.

Battle

On 16 April 2024, Russian forces advanced towards the settlement, and fighting over the settlement began. 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. The 115th Mechanised Brigade arrived in Ocheretyne in April 2024. According to Mykola Melnyk, a well-known company commander in the 47th Mechanized Brigade company commander, the 115th Mechanised Brigade left their positions without permission, which led to a breakthrough by Russian forces within 48 hours. 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. On 23 April 2024, Russia claimed to have captured the settlement. However, on 26 April, Nazar Voloshyn claimed that Ukraine still controlled two-thirds of Ocheretyne. He also claimed that Russian forces brought in additional reserves from the 55th Mountain Motor Rifle Brigade to attempt and 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.

Analysis

Per DeepStateMap.Live, the capture of Ocheretyne was fastest penetration into Ukrainian territory by Russian forces in months. 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. 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". Other observers blamed the delay in American aid.