Battle of Sarud

Battle of Sarud
Part of Zemplen War
A Syaran sniper team attempts to pin down Ruvelkan Fusiliers
Date 29 September - 8 October 2008 Location Sarud, Northern Ruvelka Result Ruvelkan Victory
Belligerents
Ruvelka	Syara
Commanders and leaders
Lengyel Szimonetta Péter Márton	Georges Arzhentinski Kire Troske
Units involved
14th Royal Infantry Division 28th Mechanized Division 5th Fusilier Regiment 35th Royal Armored Division 25th Infantry Division 47th Mechanized Division	18th Mechanized Infantry Division 29th Armored Cavalry Division 32nd Armored Cavalry Division 45th Light Infantry Division 58th Mechanized Infantry Division 20th Mechanized Infantry Division
Strength
225,000 personnel 1,349 AFVs 122 aircraft 686 artillery pieces	176,000 personnel 2,345 AFVs 89 aircraft 950 artillery pieces
Casualties and losses
7,013 killed 34,882 wounded 2,300 captured 233 missing 244 AFVs destroyed 19 aircraft destroyed 101 artillery pieces destroyed	6,884 killed 32,145 wounded 1,900 captured 204 missing 361 AFVs destroyed 25 aircraft destroyed 77 artillery pieces destroyed

The Battle of Sarud was an important battle in the Zemplen War. The battle occurred near the small city of Sarud in northern Ruvelka, as part of a local Ruvelkan counter-offensive against Syaran forces in the region. Syaran historians refer to the battle as Sarud September Defensive Operations while Ruvelka refers to the battle as Operation Oroszlán (Lion).

Syaran forces had captured the main highway leading through Sarud, which links the Ruvelkan cities of Kaposvar and Kunhegyes, the former which was besieged by Syaran forces. The Ruvelkan plan of attack was to utilize a diversionary attack south of Sarud to draw away Syaran forces from protection of their main supply route through the Sarud highway, allowing for the infiltration of the 5th Fusilier Regiment by helicopter, after which they would be reinforced by an armored column thrusting through Syaran lines between the city and the nearby Sarud mountains.

Ruvelkan forces attacked on 29 September 2008, drawing away the Syaran reserves of the 45th Light Infantry division and the 20th Mechanized Infantry Division from the center of the Syaran defenses. On 30 September Ruvelkan aircraft conducted a days long air attack against Syaran forces in the Klidzos valley, opening up an air corridor and allowing for the infiltration of the 5th Fusiliers Regiment by air in what was the largest air assault operation since the Siduri War. Ruvelkan forces were able to seize vital road junctions, splitting the Syaran forces in two, after which an attack by the 35th Royal Armored Division further widened the gap. Syaran counterattacks by the 58th Mechanized Division failed to dislodge the Ruvelkans, who proceeded to roll up from the south and force Syara to abandon Sarud on 5 October. A three day intense battle erupted between the rear guard of the Syaran forces, composed of a number of brigades which managed to stall Ruvelkan forces long enough to allow the rest to withdraw.

The battle was a major victory for Ruvelka, which dislodged the Syaran Army Group Alpha and prevented them from resuming their advance on Kunhegyes. In early November the Syarans would counterattack, and recapture Sarud on 8 November, a month after they were forced to withdraw.