Operation Synaspismos

Operation Synaspismos
Part of Zemplen War
Ruvelkan helicopter during the Ruvelkan counter-attack.
Date 18 February - 6 March 2009 Location Southern Ruvelka Result Syaran victory
Belligerents
Ruvelka	Syara
Commanders and leaders
Tibor Fehér	Daniel Mladenov Todorov
Units involved
Army Group South	Army Group Gamma
Strength
26 divisions	12 divisions
Casualties and losses
11,346 killed 20,000 wounded 7,000 captured	2,043 killed 6,366 wounded

Operation Synaspismos was a military offensive launched by the Syaran Commonality Armed Forces in southern Ruvelka during the Zemplen War.

As Syaran forces positioned themselves for future offensive operations against the Imperial Armed Forces of Ruvelka in the winter of 2008-2009, Syaran Central Command devised a plan to cut off the major industrial city of Aszód from the rest of Ruvelka. The Syarans hoped the encirclement would force the committment of the Ruvelkan Fifth and Sixth Field Armies to pitched battle, where they could be destroyed by the Syaran 10th Army. By destroying two field armies of Ruvelkan Army Group South and capturing Aszód the Syarans hoped to unhinge Ruvelkan forces in the south and allow for further offensive effort towards the Ruvelkan cities of Puspokladany and Kenderes.

Synaspismos began on 18 February and initial progress was slow, hampered by storng Ruvelkan defenses along the highway network between Albertirsa and Aszód. After a week of constant bombardment by Syaran heavy artillery Ruvelkan defenses were broken by XXXV Corps, allowing the 90th Mechanized Infantry Division to seize the vital road juncture at Akhtenis. Within two days the Syarans had strengthened their position with fresh reinforcements from XXXIII Corps, forcing portions of the Ruvelkan Ninth Field Army to retreat towards Aszód, which was now effectively cut off from the rest of Ruvelka. Alarmed at the developments in the south, the Imperial General Staff ordered an immediate counter-attack by the Fifth Field Army. Planned and executed in just two days, the Ruvelkan counter-attack was a disaster; attempts to infiltrate Syaran positions with Fusiliers like at the Battle of Sarud failed, and the 48th Cavalry Division was annihilated in pitched battle with Syaran armored forces. After just three days the offensive was called off and the Ruvelkans resumed defensive positions on 6 March.

The first major operation of 2009 ended in a Syaran victory and disaster for Ruvelka, with then Chancellor Edviná Molnár commenting that the event "felt like the darkest days of the war". Ruvelkan losses were heavy, with over 11,000 killed, 20,000 wounded, and 7,000 captured, while total Syaran losses were just 8,000. Although Synaspismos was a success, it was not a complete victory for the Syarans; Aszód refused to surrender despite it's encirclment, forcing the Syarans to commit to besieging the city.