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Russo-Ukraine War - 06 January 2023 - Day 317

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]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that militias from the Luhansk People's Republic (LNR) and Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) were formally integrated into the Russian armed forces on 31 December 2022. President Putin presented the formations with their battle colours during a visit to Rostov-on-Don.

Russia claims the LNR and DNR are intrinsic parts of the Russian Federation following the fixed accession referendums of September 2022. However, it has discreetly controlled both since 2014, creating DNR's 1st Army Corps and LNR's 2nd Army Corps and supporting them with Russian military officers.

The status and identities of the DNR and LNR likely remain divisive within the Russian system. Even before the February 2022 invasion, these territories represented a significant drain on Russian finances. Now the Kremlin has overtly committed to supporting them, they will likely constitute a large political, diplomatic and financial cost for Russia which will last well beyond the current phase of the conflict.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of January 6, Russian forces launched 1x missile strike and 12x MLRS attacks, including on the civilian infrastructure of Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts.

The threat of air and missile strikes by Russia across Ukraine remains high. To maintain its offensive potential and replenish losses, the Russian invaders continue mobilization activities.

Russia focuses its main efforts on attempts to completely capture Donetsk oblast within its administrative border. Russian forces conduct offensive operations on Bakhmut axis and makes unsuccessful attempts to improve its tactical situation on Kup'yans'k, Lyman, and Avdiivka axes. On other axes, the Russian invaders are defending.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes, Russia maintains its military presence in the border areas, no signs of the formation of offensive groups were found.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the vicinities of Mykolaivka (Chernihiv oblast), Strilecha, Krasne, Ambarne, Buhruvatka, Hatyshche, Zelene, and Odradne (Kharkiv oblast) were shelled.
Kup'yans'k and Lyman axes: Russian forces shelled the vicinities of 19x settlements. Among them are Dvorichna, Kup'yans'k, Kyslivka, Kotlyarivka, Krokhmal'ne (Kharkiv oblast), Stel'makhivka, Makiivka, Ploshchanka, and Dibrova (Luhansk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: Russian forces shelled more than 15x settlements. In particular, those are Spirne, Berestove, Bilohorivka, Soledar, and Bakhmut (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka axis: Russian forces fired tanks, mortars, artillery and missile systems at the vicinities of settlements of Avdiivka, Vesele, Nevel's'ke, Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Mar'inka, and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk Oblast).
Novopavlivka axis: Vremivka, Velyka Novosilka, Vuhledar, and Paraskoviivka (Donetsk oblast) were shelled.
Zaporizhzhia axis: Russian fire damaged the vicinities of 16x settlements. Among them are Zelene Pole, Novopil' (Donetsk oblast); Hulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Charivne, Shcherbaky, and Stepove (Zaporizhzhia oblast), and Nikopol' (Dnipropetrovsk oblast).
Kherson axis: civilian infrastructure of the settlements of Chornobaivka, Beryslav, Zolota Balka, and Kherson was damaged by Russian artillery shelling. There are civilian casualties.

Russian forces continue to suffer losses. It was confirmed that on January 5, 2023, a location of the Russian occupation troops in Havrylivka Druha (Kherson oblast) was hit. According to recent reports, up to 100x wounded servicemen were brought to local hospitals. The number of the invaders killed is being finalised.

During the day of January 6, Ukrainian Air Force struck 1x concentration of the Russian occupant forces. The results of the strike are being verified.

During the day of January 6, the units of missile troops and artillery of the Ukrainian Defense Forces hit 2x concentrations of Russian manpower and military equipment.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that, throughout the day, the Russian armed forces observed the ceasefire, nevertheless responding to Ukrainian attacks.

Prior to the start of its action, according to the statement of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, 65 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (APU), 102 troop concentration areas, a command post, and three ammunition depots were destroyed. Also, Su-25 of the Ukrainian Air Force, five drones and eight rockets fired from HIMARS installations were destroyed in the air.

The Russian Embassy in Germany published an official statement saying that Germany had crossed a moral line by deciding to supply Ukraine with heavy military equipment.

We are talking about the historical responsibility of Berlin for the crimes of the Nazis during the Great Patriotic War. In addition, it was noted that the current situation would have an extremely negative impact on Russian-German relations.

The situation in Donbass

Since 12:00, the RF Armed Forces have not fired on Ukrainian positions, while the enemy refused to maintain a truce and throughout the day struck at identified targets, effectively disrupting the peace initiative. Russian units in each case were forced to return fire to suppress enemy firing points. This was necessary in order to minimize possible damage to civilians and their positions.

meanwhile, the Ukrainian command withdrew the bloodless 128th brigade from Soledar, which, obviously, will be replenished and supplied with weapons transferred from the West.