Russo-Ukraine War - 20 January 2023 - Day 331
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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]
The UK Ministry of Defence reported that on 27 December 2022, the Russian Unified State Register showed that the proxy paramilitary Wagner Group had formally registered as a legal entity. The group declared their core activity as 'management consultancy'; no mention was made of combat services.
It is not yet clear to what extent the 'PMC Wagner Centre' entity will be used to administer Wagner's paramilitary activity. Private Military Companies (PMCs) remain illegal in Russia, despite protracted discussion about reforming the law. Wagner's owner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has likely partially funded the organisation via inflated government contracts awarded to his other companies.
The registration continues the remarkably rapid development of the traditionally opaque group's public profile. Prigozhin only admitted to founding Wagner in September 2022; in October 2022, it opened a glossy HQ in St Petersburg. Wagner almost certainly now commands up to 50,000 fighters in Ukraine and has become a key component of the Ukraine campaign. The registration likely aims to maximise Prigozhin's commercial gain and to further legitimise the increasingly high-profile organisation.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of January 20, Russian forces launched 2x missile strikes (on the civilian infrastructure of the city of Kramatorsk) and 12x air strikes. The Russian forces also launched 29x MLRS attacks, in particular, at Nikopol.
Russia does not abandon its aggressive plans. The Russian forces carry out offensive operations on Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Zaporizhzhia axes, intensifying the employment of aricraft. Russia is conducting defense on Kup'yans'k, Lyman, Novopavlivka, and Kherson axes.
Volyn, Polissya, Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: adversary units remain stationed in the border areas with Ukraine, but no offensive groups have been found.
The Republic of Belarus continues to provide comprehensive support to the russian aggression. In addition to joint exercises of the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of the Republic of Belarus, Russian units continue their training on the territory of Belarus.
Russia does not stop shelling all along the line of contact. The vicinities of settlements of Volfyne (Sumy oblast), Hur'iv Kozacho, Strilecha, Ternova, Ohirtseve, Budarky, Kam'yanka, Fyholivka, and Dvorichna (Kharkiv oblast) were hit by Russian fire.
Kup'yans'k axis: the vicinities of settlements of Tavil'zhanka, Orlyanka, Kup'yans'k, Pishchane, and Vyshneve (Kharkiv oblast), Novoselivs'ke, and Stelmakhivka (Luhansk oblast) were shelled with tanks, mortars, artillery and missile systems.
Lyman axis: Russian forces fired all available systems at the vicinities of Novojehorivka, Nevs'ke, Holykove, Chervonopopivka, Kreminna, and Dibrova (Luhansk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Spirne, Bilohorivka, Rozdolivka, Soledar, Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar, Klishchiivka, Bila Hora, Pivnichne, Zalizne, and Maiors'k (Donetsk oblast) were shelled.
Avdiivka axis: Kam'yanka, Avdiivka, Pervomais'ke, Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Mar'inka, and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast) came under Russian fire.
Novopavlivka axis: Russian forces fired tanks and artillery at the vicinities of settlements of Vuhledar, Bohoyavlenka, and Velyka Novosilka (Donetsk oblast).
Zaporizhzhia axis: tank, mortar, and artillery fire hit Vremivka, Novopil' (Donetsk oblast), Ol'hivs'ke, Hulyaipole, Charivne, Novodanylivka, Kam'yans'ke, and Plavni (Zaporizhzhia oblast).
Kherson axis: Russian occupant forces once again fired artillery and missile systems at the settlements of Nikopol' (Dnipropetrovsk oblast), Antonivka, and Kherson. There are civilian casualties.
Russia is stepping up security measures in the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia oblast. In particular, a ban on crossing checkpoints around the city of Melitopol' starting March 1 has been announced in this settlement. A special pass to be obtained at the so-called commandant's office only upon providing personal data is the only way to cross the checkpoints.
Mobilization continues in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk oblast. Thus, the occupation administration of Alchevs'k has prepared another batch of lists in order to replenish casualties among the Russian invaders. The replenishments will include, among others, the employees of the so-called Ministry of Emergency Situations.
During the day of January 20, Ukrainian Air Force launched 14x air strikes on the Russian concentrations and 3x air strikes on anti-aircraft missile systems positions. In the meantime, Ukrainian missile and artillery units hit 1x command post, 2x concentrations of manpower, and 1x ammunition depot of the Russian occupant forces.
Statements of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
The Russian Ministry of Defense in a daily briefing reported that units and places of accumulation of equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kupyansky and Limansky directions were hit during the day. The total losses of the enemy amounted to about 70 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 infantry fighting vehicles, 5 armored fighting vehicles, 2 pickup trucks, 3 howitzers.
The Ministry of Defense officially confirmed the liberation of the settlement of Kleshcheevka by the Wagner PMC detachments, which businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin reported the day before. Also, according to the agency, a warehouse of shells for multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) was destroyed in the Donetsk direction. The Armed Forces of Ukraine lost up to 60 servicemen, 3 combat armored vehicles, 2 vehicles, 2 self-propelled artillery mounts (ACS) and 2 howitzers.
In the Zaporozhye direction, the settlement of Lobkove was liberated, a hangar with weapons and equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a US-made AN / TPQ-37 counter-battery radar were destroyed. The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine amounted to 90 servicemen killed and wounded, 4 armored vehicles, 3 cars, 3 howitzers.
In the Kherson direction, self-propelled guns M109 Paladin and 2 howitzers were destroyed as part of a counter-battery fight.
Operational-tactical aviation, missile forces and artillery hit 78 artillery units, manpower and military equipment in 103 districts.
Fighter aircraft shot down a Mi-8 helicopter of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kherson region. Another Mi-8 was shot down by air defense systems (air defense) in the Kharkiv region. Also, air defense forces destroyed 5 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, intercepted 6 shells of MLRS HIMARS and Uragan.
Kherson region
Russian units liquidated and wounded more than 2 dozen fighters of the Ukrainian territorial defense in Kherson. According to a source in the emergency services of the region, the positions of the 124th brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit, 18 militants were killed, and 10 more were injured.
Zaporozhye region
There are reports of the successful advance of Russian forces in the Zaporozhye direction - in particular, the liberation of several settlements. So far, they have not received official confirmation from the RF Ministry of Defense.
Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on ongoing explosions in the area of the Zaporozhye NPP. According to them, including 2 explosions were heard on January 19.
Meanwhile, Russian specialists have eliminated almost all major damage to critical facilities at the ZNPP after Ukrainian shelling, said Renat Karchaa, adviser to the general director of Rosenergoatom.
Vladimir Rogov, a member of the main council of the administration of the Zaporozhye region, said that Russian units are repelling attempts by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to launch a counteroffensive near Kyiv and regain control over a number of lost settlements.
DNR
During the day, Ukrainian troops opened fire on Donetsk, as well as the settlements of Golmovsky, Gorlovka and Aleksandrovka. As a result of the attacks, civilians were injured in Donetsk and Golmovsky, damage was recorded to residential buildings, a gas pipeline, and a power line pylon.
Acting head of the Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin said that attempts by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to transfer equipment to Maryinka were recorded in the DPR. He noted that the battles for the private sector in the city continue, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are putting up serious resistance, which is designed to detain Russian troops.
In Soledar, Anastasia Yelsukova, a war correspondent for Readovka, was injured during shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. She was urgently evacuated by Wagner PMC fighters and operated on at the musicians' front-line hospital, businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin said. He added that now Anastasia's life is not in danger.
LC
Acting head of the Lugansk People's Republic Leonid Pasechnik announced the start of accepting proposals for candidates for members of the LPR election commission with the right to vote. It will include 12 people, 6 of whom will be elected by the people's council, and 6 more - by the acting head of the republic.
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