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Russo-Ukraine War - 17 February 2023 - Day 359

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 Russian Ministry of Defence and private military contractor (PMC) forces have likely suffered 175-200,000 casualties since the start of the invasion of Ukraine. This likely includes approximately 40-60,000 killed. The Russian casualty rate has significantly increased since September 2022 when 'partial mobilisation' was imposed.

By modern standards, these figures represent a high ratio of personnel killed compared to those wounded. This is almost certainly due to extremely rudimentary medical provision across much of the force. Artillery has almost certainly inflicted the majority of Russia's casualties.

Wagner PMC forces have deployed large numbers of convict-recruits. These have probably experienced a casualty rate of up to 50%.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day, Russian forces launched 6x rocket attacks on the civilian infrastructure of Kup'yansk, in the Kharkiv Oblast. Three private and one multi-story buildings were damaged. In addition, Russian forces carried out a total of 10x airstrikes and conducted more than 10 attacks from MLRS.

The threat of further Russian missile strikes remains very high throughout Ukraine.

Russia is concentrating its main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Kup'yansk, Lymansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Shakhtarsk axes. Suffers significant losses in manpower.

Volyn', Polissya, Sivershchyna, and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia continues to hold certain units in the areas bordering Ukraine, but no offensive groups have been detected. The training of units of Russian troops continues at the training grounds of the Republic of Belarus. Russia does not stop mortar and artillery shelling of the positions of Ukrainian units, as well as settlements along the state border of Ukraine. During the day, areas of Kolos settlements of Chernihiv Oblast were subjected to Russian shelling; Mefedivka, Bachivsk, Kharkivka, Zarutske, Partyzanske, Boyaro-Lezhachi, Atynske, Oleksiivka, and Grabovske in the Sumy Oblast, as well as Veterynarne, Strilecha, Vesele, Borysivka, Gatyshche, Vovchansk, Tykh, Okhrymivka, Nesterne, and Obukhivka in the Kharkiv Oblast.
Kup'yansk and Lyman axes: Russian forces shelled the settlements of Hryanikyvka, Kucherivka, Krokhmalne, and Berestove in the Kharkiv Oblast; Novoselivske, Nevske, Dibrova and Bilogorivka in the Luhansk Oblast and Fedorivka and Rozdolivka in the Donetsk Oblast. Carried out airstrikes near Krokhmalne, Berestove, Stelmakhivka, Dibrova, Serebryanske Forestry, Bilogorivka, and Spirne.
Bakhmut axis: more than 15x districts of settlements, in particular, Vesele, Vasyukivka, Zaliznyanske, Dubovo-Vasylivka, Berkhivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Kurdyumivka, New York of the Donetsk Oblast, were shelled. Russian forces also carried out an airstrike in the Berkhivka District.
Avdiivka and Shakhtarsk axes: 17x districts of settlements were affected by the fire, among them Avdiivka, Vodyane, Vesele, Nevelske, Georgiivka, Mar'yinka, Bogoyavlenka, Velyka Novosilka, Zolota Nyva, Vugledar and Neskuchne of the Donetsk Oblast.
Zaporizhzhia axis: the areas of 20x settlements, including Malynivka, Gulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Biloghir'ya, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanylivka, Orihiv, Novoandriivka, Mali Shcherbaki, and Kam'yanske of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, were affected by fire. The districts of Mala Tokmachka and Novodanylivka were hit by Russian airstrikes.
Kherson axis: the suburbs and the city of Kherson, as well as the districts of more than 25x settlements, in particular, Havrylivka, Dudchany, Beryslav, Vesele, Kozatske, Ivanivka, Inzhenerne, Dniprovske, Berehove, and Veletenske of the Kherson Oblast, were affected by Russian artillery fire.

Russia continues to suffer losses. Thus, in the village of Kalanchak, Kherson Oblast, the Russian occupiers converted the Central District Hospital into a military hospital and brought 36 dead and 18 wounded servicemen of the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

During the day, the aviation of the Defense Forces of Ukraine carried out 5x strikes on the areas of concentration of Russian personnel and military equipment, as well as 1x - on the position of the anti-aircraft missile complex.

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, Limansky, South-Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Kherson directions were hit during the day. Ukrainian troops lost about 275 servicemen and a large amount of equipment, including the HIMARS MLRS installation. In Kherson and the Dnipropetrovsk region, 2 ammunition depots of territorial defense were destroyed, in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) - an ammunition depot of the 72nd mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Up to 200 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 armored combat vehicles, 2 vehicles, as well as 2 D-30 and one D-20 howitzers were destroyed in the course of offensive operations in the Donetsk direction during the day. An ammunition depot of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed in the Avdiivka area.

During the day, army aviation, missile forces and artillery defeated 97 enemy artillery units, manpower and military equipment in 106 districts. A Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter was shot down by means of air defense in the Kherson region, 9 unmanned aerial vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed in the DPR and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), 3 HIMARS MLRS shells and an HARM anti-radar missile were intercepted.

Zaporozhye region

Dissatisfaction with command and supply is growing in the ranks of Ukrainian military personnel in the Zaporozhye direction, RIA Novosti reports, citing sources in the special services. According to the source, the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine collect food and medicines from residents of the surrounding settlements, and there are also reports of the death of wounded soldiers due to the late provision of medical care.

Kherson region

In Kherson, Ukrainian security forces detained a local businessman who placed billboards with slogans in support of Russia in the city. The man was charged with collaborationism, the issue of his detention is being decided.

Donbass

During the day, Ukrainian formations shelled Donetsk and Makeevka. During the attacks, artillery pieces with a caliber of 155 mm were used.

Units of PMC "Wagner" took full control of the village of Paraskovievka north of Bakhmut. Businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin spoke about the liberation of the settlement.

As part of the last round of prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, 9 servicemen and the rector of the Holy Kazan Church in the village of Yarovaya returned to the territory of the DPR. As Ombudsman of the Republic Daria Morozova stated, the priest was illegally detained by Ukrainian security forces back in September 2022.

Chairman of the People's Council of the DPR Vladimir Bidevka spoke about the powers of the head of the republic, which are regulated by the new constitution. According to him, the number of terms during which an official can hold his post is not limited. At the same time, the head of the DPR is elected for 5 years.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel of the People's Militia of the LPR Andrei Marochko said that Ukrainian troops are looking for "spies" among the civilian population of Liman, Kramatorsk and Slavyansk. According to the officer, the Armed Forces of Ukraine threaten people with weapons and use force against them, breaking into their homes under the pretext of checking documents. At the same time, local authorities do not respond to the atrocities of the Ukrainian military.