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Russo-Ukraine War - 31 January 2023 - Day 342

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 in the last three days, Russia has likely developed its probing attacks around the towns of Pavlivka and Vuhledar into a more concerted assault.

The settlements lie 50km south-west of Donetsk city, and Russia previously used the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade in an unsuccessful assault on the same area in November 2022. Elements of the 155th are again involved as part of an at least brigade sized force which has likely advanced several hundred metres beyond the small Kashlahach River which marked the front line for several months.

Russian commanders are likely aiming to develop a new axis of advance into Ukrainian-held Donetsk Oblast, and to divert Ukrainian forces from the heavily contested Bakhmut sector. There is a realistic possibility that Russia will continue to make local gains in the sector. However, it is unlikely that Russia has sufficient uncommitted troops in the area to achieve an operationally significant breakthrough.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Russian federation continues its full-scale aggression against Ukraine. Russia does not abandon its attempts to destroy Ukraine's critical infrastructure, launching strikes on civil targets and civilian residences.

During the day of January 31, Russian occupants launched 3x air strikes and 3x missile attacks. They also launched more than 20x MLRS attacks. Civilian infrastructure was damaged in Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Kherson oblasts. The threat of Russian air and missile strikes across Ukraine remains high.

The Russianadversary continues its offensive operations on Lyman and Bakhmut axes, suffering great casualties. Russian offensive on Avdiivka and Novopavlivka axes is failing. On Kup'yansk and Zaporizhzhia axes, Russia is on the defense.

Volyn, Polissya, Sivershchyna, and Slobozhanshchyna axes: no significant changes, no Russian offensive groups were found.
Sivershchyna axis: Russian forces fired mortars in the vicinities of settlements of Kliusy, Mistky, Huta-Studenets'ka, Leonivka (Chernihiv oblast), Sopych, Volfyne (Sumy oblast), and Lemishchyne (Kharkiv oblast).
Slobozhanshchyna axis: Russia continues to shell the positions of Ukrainian troops along the line of contact. Russian mortar and artillery shelling damaged the vicinities of settlements of Veterinarne, Strilecha, Hlyboke, Zelene, Neskuchne, Ohirtseve, Vovchans'k, Starytsya, Budarky (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces fired at the positions of Ukrainian troops near the vicinities of settlements of Ivanivka, Kup'yans'k, Kyslivka, Kotlyarivka (Kharkiv oblast), Novoselivs'ke, and Kovalivka (Luhansk oblast).
Lyman axis: the vicinities of Novojehorivka, Nevs'ke, Chervonopopivka, Kreminna, Dibrova (Luhansk oblast) were shelled with mortars and artillery.
Bakhmut axis: the following settlements came under fire: Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Spirne, Berestove, Bilohorivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivs'ke, Predtechyne, Klishchiivka, Kurdyumivka, Druzhba, and Maiors'k (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka axis: the vicinities of settlements of Berdychi, Tonen'ke, Syeverne, Avdiivka, Vodyane, Heorhiivka, Mar'inka, and Pobjeda (Donetsk oblast) came under Russian fire.
Novopavlivka axis: the vicinities of settlements of Velyka Novosilka, Neskuchne, Novoukrainka, Bohoyavlenka, Vuhledar, and Mykil's'ki Dachi (Donetsk oblast) came under fire.
Zaporizhzhia axis: the vicinities of 15x settlements were hit by shelling, including Vremivka, Novopil' (Donetsk oblast), Malynivka, Hulyaipole, Charivne, Orikhiv, Novodanylivka (Zaporizhzhya oblast).
Kherson axis: Russian forces fired MLRS, artillery and missile systems at the vicinities of 17x settlements, including Zolota Balka, Beryslav, Vesele, Mykolaivka, Tyahynka, Poniativka, Antonivka, Berehove, Yantarne (Kherson oblast), and the city of Kherson. There are civilian casualties.

The Russian occupiers have intensified filtration and counter-sabotage measures in the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson oblast. For example, Russian occupation forces have restricted entry and exit from the settlement of Ul'yanivka, conducting searches among local residents and checking their mobile phones.

In Donetsk, the number of cases of particularly dangerous infections among the military personnel of the Russian occupation forces and mercenaries of the so-called PMC Wagner has surged. This may be due to the lack of proper sanitary and hygienic conditions in the locations of adversary units.

During the day of January 31, the Ukrainian Air Force launched 9x air strikes on the concentrations of Russian manpower, weapons, and military equipment, and 2x air strikes on the positions of anti-aircraft missile systems.

During the day of January 31, the missile and artillery units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck 9x concentrations of Russian manpower and 1x ammunition depot.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that Russian servicemen repelled another attempt by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) to force the Dnieper River in the Kherson region, Vladimir Vasilenko, spokesman for the acting governor of the Kherson region, told RIA Novosti. According to him, the enemy troops wanted to gain a foothold on the left bank.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Marat Khusnullin announced the completion of the installation of the fourth and last span of the left automobile section of the Crimean Bridge. After bringing it to the design position, the workers will begin laying the asphalt pavement, installing lighting systems and fences. It is assumed that the movement of cars and buses on the crossing will be opened in March.

By evening, unofficial sources reported that the sounds of air defense crews were heard in Belgorod. Locals talk about at least five flashes in the sky. Information about the incident is being specified.

The situation in the Donbass

Representative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Elisabeth Trossel said that the organization is aware of the UAF attack on the hospital building in Novoaidar, Luhansk People's Republic. The official stressed that attacks on any medical facilities violate international law. According to the UN, the fire was fired from Ukrainian troops.

In the afternoon, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation issued an official confirmation of the liberation of the village of Blagodatnoye to the west of Soledar by detachments of the Wagner PMC. The first reports of this and evidence in the form of photographs and videos with "musicians" in the village appeared on January 29th.

Meanwhile, war correspondents report on the current situation on the battlefield. According to Alexander Simonov, Wagner attack aircraft are now fighting fierce battles on the outskirts of the village of Sacco and Vanzetti to the north of Soledar. Meanwhile, the gunners of the "musicians" are hitting the strongholds of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the mountain behind the Sol station, which military commander Yarem said the day before.