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Russo-Ukraine War - 12 January 2023 - Day 323

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 over the last two days, heavy fighting has continued both around the town of Soledar, Donetsk Oblast, and on the approaches to Kremina, Luhansk Oblast.

Since the start of January 2023, Russia has almost certainly allocated elements of the 76th Guards Air Landing Division of the VDV (airborne forces) to reinforce the Kremina front line after assessing the sector was significantly vulnerable.

Until November 2022, Russia committed almost the whole of the deployable VDV as long-term, ground-holding troops along the front line in the Kherson area. Now redeployed to the Donbas and southern Ukraine, commanders are likely attempting to employ VDV more in line with their supposed doctrinal role as a relatively elite rapid reaction force.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of January 12, Russian occupants launched 5x missile attacks, all targeting peaceful cities of Kostyantynivka, Kramatorsk, and Zaporizhzhia, as well as 12x air strikes. The Russian invaders launched 4x MLRS attacks.

The threat of air and missile strikes by Russian forces across Ukraine remains high.

The Russian adversary keeps focusing its main efforts on attempts to capture Donetsk oblast within its administrative border, continues to advance on Bakhmut axis. The most fierce fighting is taking place in the vicinities of Soledar, Paraskoviivka, Bakhmut, and Klishchiivka.

Russia is conducting unsuccessful offensive operations on Avdiivka axis, while on Kup'yans'k and Lyman axes, the Russian invaders keep trying to improve their tactical situation. On Novopavlivka, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson axes, the Russian occupant forces are on the defensive.

Volyn, Polissya, Sivershchyna, and Slobozhanshchyna axes: no significant changes, no Russian offensive groups were found.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the vicinities of settlements of Sen'kivka, Karpovychi (Chernihiv oblast), Bachivs'k (Sumy oblast), Strilecha, Zelene, Hatyshche, Vovchans'k, Chuhunivka, and Ridkodub (Kharkiv oblast) came under Russian fire.
Kup'yans'k axis: the vicinities of Syn'kivka, Orlyanka, Kyslivka, Berestove, Ivanivka, Bohuslavka (Kharkiv oblast), and Stel'makhivka (Luhansk oblast) were shelled.
Lyman axis: Hrekivka, Makiivka, Chervonopopivka, and Dibrova (Luhansk oblast) came under fire from Russian tanks and artillery.
Bakhmut axis: Spirne, Bilohorivka, Soledar, Krasna Hora, Pidhorodne, Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Kurdyumivka, Druzhba, and Pivnichne (Donetsk oblast) were shelled.
Avdiivka axis: Russian forces fired at Krasnohorivka, Avdiivka, Mar'inka, and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast).
Novopavlivka axis: Vuhledar, Prechystivka, and Zolota Nyva (Donetsk oblast) came under the fire of the Russian occupant forces.
Zaporizhzhia axis: the Russian invaders shelled the vicinities of settlements of Vremivka, Vil'ne Pole (Donetsk oblast), Hulyaipole, Chervone, Charivne, Mala Tokmachka, Orikhiv, and Kam'yans'ke (Zaporizhzhia oblast).
Kherson axis: Russia continues shelling settlements along the right bank of the Dnipro river. In particular, the suburbs and the city of Kherson came under mortar fire.

Russian occupants continue to rob the local population on the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson oblast. In one of the settlements of Kakhovka district, the occupation authorities announced an inventory check of movable and immovable property of local private entrepreneurs, followed by the so-called "nationalization".

To replenish its casualties, Russia does not stop mobilizing the male population, including in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk oblast. Thus, the beginning of the next wave of mobilization was reported in the city of Alchevs'k since January 09, 2023.

During the day of January 12, the Ukrainian Air Force launched 15x air strikes on the concentrations of Russian troops, as well as 5x air strikes on the positions of its anti-aircraft missile systems. In addition, Ukrainian forces shot down 1x russian Su-25 aircraft and 1x Orlan-10 UAV. Ukrainian artillery and missile troops hit 3x command posts, 3x concentrations of Russian troops and military equipment, 1x S-300 anti-aircraft missile system and 3x ammunition depots.

Statements of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

During the briefing, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kupyansky, Limansky and South-Donetsk directions were hit during the day. In the Donetsk direction, Russian units successfully continued to conduct offensive operations. In the Kharkov region, 5 enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups were destroyed. The total losses of the Ukrainian troops amounted to about 230 servicemen, a tank, 11 armored vehicles, 13 cars and pickups.

The strikes of operational-tactical and army aviation, missile forces and artillery hit 2 ammunition depots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Zaporozhye region, as well as 76 artillery units, manpower and military equipment in 123 districts.

During the counter-battery fight, 3 Grad multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) combat vehicles were destroyed in the Kharkiv region and the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), 2 M777 and M109 Paladin artillery systems in the DPR, 2 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers in the DPR and Zaporozhye region. In the DPR, a U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar was also hit.

Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the DPR shot down a Su-25 of the Ukrainian Air Force. Air defense weapons destroyed 5 unmanned aerial vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) and the DPR, as well as 3 HIMARS and Alder MLRS shells in the Zaporozhye region.

Zaporozhye region

Volodymyr Rogov, a member of the main council of the administration of the Zaporozhye region, said that the morale of the Ukrainian military in the territories controlled by Kyiv in the region dropped sharply after the liberation of Soledar. He also noted the importance of taking the city, which was liberated by units of the Wagner PMC.

The Russian Federation proceeds from the fact that the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, during his visit to Ukraine next week, will discuss the initiative to create a protective zone at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. Mikhail Ulyanov, permanent representative of the Russian Federation to international organizations in Vienna, announced this.

DPR

During the day, Ukrainian troops shelled Donetsk, as well as the settlement of Makeevka. As a result of attacks on Donetsk, a civilian was killed, and 4 more people were injured. In addition, damage to residential buildings and civil infrastructure facilities was recorded.

The DPR commented on the liberation of Soledar by the detachments of the Wagner PMC. According to the deputy of the parliament of the republic Andrei Baevsky, this success allows cutting off the possible supply routes for the APU grouping from Seversk, and also opens up the visibility of the route from Slavyansk to Bakhmut and the possibility of working along it with almost direct fire.

LC

A humanitarian convoy of the Russian Emergencies Ministry delivered 150 tons of food and medical equipment to the LPR. From Lugansk, the cars immediately departed for Lisichansk, Starobelsk and Rubizhne.

In addition, the Red Cross Society provided assistance to the residents of Lisichansk. The cargo included warm blankets, durable food and hygiene products.