Russo-Ukraine War - 21 February 2023 - Day 363
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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 as of 13 February 2023, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) had recorded 18,955 civilian casualties since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This consisted of 7,199 killed and 11,756 injured. 697 of the civilian casualties occurred in January 2023.
The OHCHR has stated it believes that the actual figures are considerably higher. Based on other, independent analysis, over 16,000 civilians have likely been killed. Data from January 2023 indicated that the violence continued along the 1,200km front line, but was primarily concentrated in Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
Throughout January 2023, there was a very high intensity, and worsening trend, of damage being inflicted on both medical and educational facilities. These incidents, and continued civilian casualties are likely largely due to Russia's lack of discrimination in the use of artillery and other area weapon systems.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of February 21, Russia launched more than 30x MLRS attacks, including at the civilian infrastructure of Kherson. There are civilian casualties.
The threat of further Russian air and missile strikes across Ukraine remains high.
Russia is focusing its main efforts on the offensive operations on Kup'yans'k, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Shakhtars'ke axes.
Volyn, Polissya, Sivershchyna, and Slobozhanshchyna axes: no signs of the formation of Russian offensive groups were found.
Vicinities of more than 20x settlements in Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv oblasts came under Russian fire. Among the affected settlements are Strilecha, Morokhovets', Starytsya, Vovchans'k, Vovchans'ki Khutory, Volokhivka, Budarky, Bolohivka, and Kolodyazne.
Kup'yans'k and Lyman axes: Russian forces shelled the settlements of Dvorichna, Hryanikivka, Kotlyarivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast), Stel'makhivka, Ivanivka, Nevs'ke, Chervonopopivka, Dibrova, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), and Fedorivka (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: the Russian invaders shelled 18x settlements. In particular, Rozdolivka, Vesele, Bakhmut, Stupochky, Klishchiivka, Ozaryanivka, and Toretsk (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka and Shakhtars'ke axes: Russian forces fired artillery at the vicinities of settlements of Avdiivka, Vodyane, Nevel's'ke, Krasnohorivka, Mar'inka, Bohoyavlenka, Velyka Novosilka, Neskuchne, Prechystivka, and Vuhledar.
Zaporizhzhia axis: Novosilka, Vremivka, Novopil' (Donetsk oblast), Ol'hivs'ke, Hulyaipole, Malynivka, Mahdalynivka, Pavlivka, Kam'yans'ke, Orikhiv, Mala Tokmachka (Zaporizhzhia oblast) were hit.
Kherson axis: Russian artillery fire hit the suburbs and the city Kherson, as well as the vicinities of 14x settlements, including Mylove, Tomaryne, Shlyakhove, Beryslav, Mykolaivka, Vesele, Antonivka, and Veletens'ke.
Due to the high rates of desertion from the ranks of the Russian occupation forces, massive raids have been conducted in Chaplyns'kyi district of Kherson oblast since February 20, 2023. Particular attention is paid to abandoned houses and buildings.
Since early 2023, there has been a significant deterioration in crime rate in the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, in particular in the city of Sevastopol. The reason for this was the arrival of ex-convicts who fought in the so-called PMC Wagner and were amnestied as their contracts expired. Where they are detained for any crimes, they are not sent to correctional facilities, but back to the front line.
During the day of February 21, Ukrainian Air Force launched 4x air strikes on the concentrations of Russian personnel and military equipment.
Statements of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
During the briefing, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that during the day the places of accumulation of manpower and equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kupyansky, Limansky, Donetsk, South-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions were hit. Ukrainian troops lost about 510 servicemen and a large amount of military equipment. In the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), 2 HIMARS multiple launch rocket launchers (MLRS) and 2 ammunition depots were destroyed.
In the Kherson direction, in the course of counter-battery combat, an ammunition depot and a US-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery combat radar were destroyed.
Army aviation, missile forces and artillery hit 94 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at firing positions, manpower and equipment in 128 districts.
Air defense systems destroyed 10 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the DPR, Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), Kharkiv and Zaporozhye regions. In the Belgorod region, 2 HIMARS and Uragan MLRS shells were shot down, as well as 2 Tochka-U tactical missiles.
Zaporozhye region
Acting Governor of the Zaporizhzhia region Yevgeny Balitsky believes that after the statements of Russian President Vladimir Putin in a message to the Federal Assembly, the courtesy of the Russian Federation "will no longer be perceived as weakness."
Deputy Prime Minister of the regional government Andrei Kozenko said that more than 80 filling stations (gas stations) have been restored in the region. Another 15 filling stations are expected to be put into operation this year.
Kherson region
Ukrainian media during the day reported on explosions in Kherson, which is now controlled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Acting Governor of the Kherson region Volodymyr Saldo expressed the opinion that the United States "begins to be afraid" of expanding its military presence in Ukraine through the supply of weapons. According to him, this is evidenced, in particular, by some moments in the "gaits" of US President Joe Biden during his visit to Kyiv.
The balance also announced the imminent start of work as part of a program to renovate schools in the region after a corresponding order from Vladimir Putin, made in the message. The acting head of the region noted that the estimates for the work have already been drawn up, the implementation will begin in just a few days.
DPR
During the day, Ukrainian formations opened fire on Donetsk, as well as the settlements of Volnovakha, Kashtanovoe, Makeevka. As a result of attacks in Donetsk, a civilian was injured, and one more wounded in Volnovakha is known. Residential buildings were damaged.
Units of the Wagner PMC are approaching the prozmon in the north of Bakhmut, where the Artyomovsk metalworking plant is located. As military correspondent Alexander Simonov notes, in terms of the complexity of the assault, this enterprise can be compared with the Mariupol Azovstal, since it has a large territory, a developed network of underground communications and dense industrial development.
Acting head of the DPR Denis Pushilin said that the advance of Russian units is observed in all directions on the line of contact in the republic.
Pushilin also spoke about the message of the President of the Russian Federation to the Federal Assembly. According to him, Vladimir Putin's instructions open up prospects for the new regions of Russia that their inhabitants could not even dream of before. In particular, he singled out the development of the education sector, social support for young families with many children, increasing the birth rate, developing the economy and attracting investment.
In Donetsk, a cache was found with weapons and ammunition sufficient to equip 2 reconnaissance and sabotage groups with a total of up to 16 people. Cartridges, machine guns, machine guns and shots for RPGs were seized from the cache.
LC
Acting head of the LPR Leonid Pasechnik said that in the message of Vladimir Putin to the Federal Assembly, the unity of the Lugansk region with the people of the Russian Federation is felt. According to the official, Russia believes and counts on the people of Donbass, so the LPR will become one of the most developed regions of the country.
Pasechnik also commented on the preparations for the payment of maternity capital to the LPR, taking into account the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation. According to the acting head of the republic, the new support measures could affect about a million people.
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