Russo-Ukraine War - 27 December 2022 - Day 307

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A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

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The UK Ministry of Defence reported that over the last 48 hours, fighting has remained focused around the Bakhmut sector of Donetsk Oblast, and near Svatove in Luhansk. Russia continues to initiate frequent small-scale assaults in these areas, although little territory has changed hands.

To the north, elements of Russia's 1st Guards Tank Army were probably amongst the Russian forces recently deployed to Belarus. This formation was likely conducting training before its deployment and is unlikely to have the support units needed to make it combat-ready.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the threat of Russian air and missile strikes on critical infrastructure remains throughout Ukraine. Russia, despite significant losses in manpower, does not stop offensive actions in the Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions. Trying to improve the tactical position in the Lyman direction.

The situation remains stable in the Volyn, Polissya, Siversk, and Slobozhanskyi directions, Russia maintains a military presence in the border areas, and no signs of the formation of Russian offensive groups have been detected.

On the Siverskyi and Slobozhanskyi directions, areas of Mefedivka and Vovkivka settlements of the Sumy region, as well as Hlyboke, Starytsa, Ohirtseve and Vovchansk in the Kharkiv oblast, were hit by artillery and mortar shelling.
In the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces shelled the areas of the settlements of Novomlynsk, Dvorichne, Kupyansk, Krokhmalne, Berestove and Pershotravneve in the Kharkiv oblast and Novoselivske, Stelmakhivka and Kolomiychykha in the Luhansk oblast.
On the Lyman direction, Russian fire was detected near Ploshchanka and Dibrova in the Luhansk oblast and Yampolivka and Hryhorivka in the Donetsk oblast.
In the Bakhmut direction, the areas of the settlements of Spirne, Bilohorivka, Soledar, Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar, Opytne, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, Bila Hora, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Ozaryanivka, Mayorsk and New York of the Donetsk oblast were shelled.
Vodyane, Pervomaiske, Maryinka and Novomykhailivka in Donetsk oblast came under the influence of fire in the Avdiivka direction.
In the Novopavlivka direction, the areas of Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Vremivka and Velyka Novosilka of the Donetsk oblast were hit by artillery.
In the Zaporizhzhia direction, Russian forces fired tanks and barrel artillery at Temyrivka, Poltavka, Dorozhnyanka, Novoandriivka, Kamianske, and Plavni districts of the Zaporizhzhia oblast.
In the Kherson direction, the civil infrastructure of Antonivka, Kherson oblast, and the city of Kherson were once again affected by Russian shelling. There are casualties among civilians.

In connection with significant losses of personnel, there is an increase in the number of desertions of Russian servicemen and their leaving combat positions in the Luhansk oblast. In order to maintain control over the situation, the Russian military leadership increased the number of patrols to detain and return deserters to units.

During the day, units of missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces of Ukraine hit the control post, 6 areas of concentration of Russian manpower and military equipment, an ammunition warehouse, as well as one other important military object.

Statements of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

The Russian Ministry of Defense in a daily briefing reported that during the day, accumulations of manpower and equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kupyansky, Limansky, Donetsk and South-Donetsk directions were hit. The total losses of the enemy amounted to about 200 Ukrainian servicemen, 10 armored combat vehicles, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 10 vehicles and 4 pickup trucks.

Rocket troops and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces hit the reserve command post of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Kramatorsk (Donetsk People's Republic, DPR), 67 artillery units, manpower and military equipment in 89 districts.

During the counter-battery fight, 2 American-made M777 artillery systems were destroyed in the areas of Netailovo (DPR) and Preobrazhenka (Zaporozhye region). In the districts of Nevsky (Lugansk People's Republic, LPR) and Seversk (DPR), a combat vehicle of a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) "Uragan" and 2 combat vehicles of the MLRS "Grad" were liquidated. Near Krasnogorovka and Prechistovka (DPR), 2 Ukrainian self-propelled artillery mounts 2S1 "Gvozdika" were destroyed. In the districts of Kupyansk (Kharkiv region), Velyka Novoselka (DPR) and Novogrigorovka (Kherson region), 4 Msta-B howitzers and 2 D-20 howitzers were destroyed.

Air defense systems shot down 3 unmanned aerial vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the DPR and the Zaporozhye region, intercepted 2 shells of the Uragan MLRS and 3 HARM anti-radar missiles in the Kherson region and the DPR.

Kherson region

In UAF-controlled Berislav, foreign mercenaries shot and killed a family, accusing its members of having "ties with Russia." TASS, citing sources in law enforcement agencies of the Kherson region, reports that there are now a large number of foreign fighters in Berislav, mostly Poles and African Americans. Often they, being in a state of alcoholic or drug intoxication, rob private households and arrange lynching of the local population.

Zaporozhye region

Russian President Vladimir Putin called a girl from the Zaporozhye region, whose postcard he chose as part of the "Wish Tree" campaign. In her note, the 8-year-old schoolgirl said that she dreams of visiting the Crimea and visiting the House of Santa Claus. The Russian leader, in a conversation with the girl, asked if she liked visiting Santa Claus, and also asked for a return gift - to send cucumbers that the schoolgirl's family grows.

The head of the government of the Zaporozhye region, Anton Koltsov, said that it would be possible to exchange hryvnia for rubles in the region until April 1, 2023. Both banknotes and coins are subject to exchange, the amount of exchange is not limited. After January 1, the circulation of the hryvnia in the region will be stopped.

The commander of the special forces group of the Russian Armed Forces, in an interview with RIA Novosti, said that Ukrainian troops systematically use sabotage and reconnaissance groups and try to attack in one of the sections of the Zaporozhye direction. Nevertheless, the allied forces stop these attempts in a timely manner, he added.

DNR

During the day, Ukrainian troops opened fire on Donetsk, as well as the settlements of Gorlovka, Yasinovataya, Makeevka, Golmovsky. Residential buildings were damaged. In addition, additional information was received about civilian casualties as a result of shelling on December 26: another civilian died from injuries received in Staromlynovka.

Heavy fighting continues in the areas of Experienced and Kleshcheevka. In addition, detachments of PMC "Wagner" are advancing in the Soledar sector in several directions at once, improving their tactical position. Collisions are recorded in the vicinity of Razdolovka, Vesely, on the eastern outskirts of Soledar from the side of Bakhmutsky.

LC

The Ukrainian command is transferring assault groups to the Kremennaya area, said Andrei Marochko, an officer of the People's Militia of the LPR. According to intelligence, they consist mainly of foreign mercenaries and military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who have been trained abroad. Thus, Kyiv expects to make up for major losses.

Acting head of the LPR Leonid Pasechnik signed a decree on the payment of a monthly allowance in connection with the birth and upbringing of a child. The document comes into force on January 1.

A working meeting between Minister of Construction and Housing and Utilities of Russia Irek Fayzullin and Leonid Pasechnik took place in Lugansk. During the conversation, issues of restoration and socio-economic development of the republic were discussed, the minister assessed the progress in the reconstruction of social infrastructure facilities in the region.