Russo-Ukraine War - 05 March 2023 - Day 375

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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]

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The UK Ministry of Defence reported that in late February 2023, Russian mobilised reservists described being ordered to assault a Ukrainian concrete strong point armed with only 'firearms and shovels'. The 'shovels' are likely entrenching tools being employed for hand-to-hand combat.

The lethality of the standard-issue MPL-50 entrenching tool is particularly mythologised in Russia. Little changed since it was designed in 1869, its continued use as a weapon highlights the brutal and low-tech fighting which has come to characterise much of the war. One of the reservists described being 'neither physically nor psychologically' prepared for the action.

Recent evidence suggests an increase in close combat in Ukraine. This is probably a result of the Russian command continuing to insist on offensive action largely consisting of dismounted infantry, with less support from artillery fire because Russia is short of munitions.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Russian Federation continues its full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine. The invaders' main efforts are focused on the offensive operations on Kup'yans'k, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Shakhtars'ke axes.

Russia does not stop destroying the critical infrastructure of Ukraine, continues to target and shell civilian facilities and residences.

During the day of March 05, Russian forces launched 4x missile and 23x air strikes. Russian forces launched more than 55x MLRS attacks. The threat of missile strikes across Ukraine remains high.

Volyn, Polissya, Sivershchyna, and Slobozhanshchyna axes: no significant changes, no formation of offensive groups was found. Russia is carrying out engineering development, including anti-tank ditches, of the border areas of Bryansk and Kursk oblasts (russia).
During the day of March 05, Russian forces fired mortars and artillery at the settlements of Yanzhulivka, Tymonovychi (Chernihiv oblast), Studenok, Budivelne, Vovkivka, Atyns'ke, Iskryskivshchyna, Volfyne, Sadky (Sumy oblast), Budarky, Veterynarne, Strilecha, Krasne, Ternova, Dvorichanske (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k and Lyman axes: Russian forces conducted several unsuccessful offensives towards the settlement of Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast. Russian forces shelled the vicinities of settlements of Dvorichna, Hryanykivka, Pishchane (Kharkiv oblast), Bilohorivka, Nevs'ke, Serebryanske (Luhansk oblast), and Terny, Spirne, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast) with artillery.
Bakhmut axis: Russian forces does stop assaulting the city of Bakhmut and settlements around it. The following settlements came under fire: Zaliznyans'ke, Orihovo-Vasylivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Chasiv Yar, Kurdyumivka, Shyroka Balka, Hryhorivka, Majors'k, New York (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka and Shakhtars'ke axes: Russia continues to attack the positions of Ukrainian troops, launched several unsuccessful attacks towards Kam'yanka, Krasnohorivka, Severne, Pobeda and Mar'inka (Donetsk oblast). The invaders fired artillery and mortars at the vicinities of settlements of Vesele, Avdiivka, Vodyane, Pervomais'ke, Krasnohorivka and Vuhledar.
Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russian forces shelled the vicinities of more than 35x settlements. Among them are Novosilka, Vremivka (Donetsk oblast), Hulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Kam`yanske (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Chornobayivka, Beryslav, Vesele, Antonivka, and the city of Kherson. There are casualties among civilians and damage to civil infrastructure.

A conflict is brewing in the top military leadership of the Russian Federation due to significant losses and the lack of real achievements at the front. In February of this year, Putin awarded the commander of the Eastern Military District, Muradov, the rank of colonel general for a report on the "successes" of the 155th Marine Brigade in the Vugledar axis. Now the Russian Ministry of Defense Shoigu demands that the general work out his rank and take the city at any cost. According to the available information, the leadership of the 155th brigade and the servicemen refuse to go on a senseless offensive again, in which the incompetent leadership sends them - to storm the well-fortified positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine without any support and preparation.

The Ukrainian Air Force launched 10x air strikes on the concentrations of Russian forces' manpower and equipment. During the day of March 05, missile and artillery units hit 2x command post.

Statements of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that during the day in the Kupyansky and Limansky directions, army aviation strikes, artillery fire and heavy flamethrower systems destroyed a large number of military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as up to 220 enemy servicemen.

In the Donetsk direction, in the course of active offensive actions, warehouses with ammunition of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a radar station (RLS) of counter-battery combat manufactured by the USA AN / TPQ-37, as well as various military equipment were liquidated. Ukrainian troops lost over 210 people.

In the South-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine amounted to 80 servicemen. In the Zaporozhye region, an AN/TPQ-37 radar and a depot of missile and artillery weapons of the territorial defense were destroyed.

More than 30 Ukrainian soldiers, 10 vehicles, a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer, as well as Msta-B and D-30 howitzers were destroyed in the Kherson direction.

Aviation, missile forces and artillery hit 83 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, manpower and equipment in 207 districts. In the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Kharkiv region, the launcher of the Ukrainian Buk-M1 air defense system, control points of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and electronic warfare were destroyed.

In the Zaporozhye region and the DPR, the command post of the nationalist regiment "Azov"✱ (banned in Russia), as well as command and observation posts of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and territorial defense, were hit.

A Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force was shot down by means of air defense in the DPR. 6 shells of HIMARS and Smerch multiple launch rocket systems were intercepted, 12 Ukrainian UAVs were destroyed in the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), DPR, Kharkiv and Zaporozhye regions.

Zaporozhye region

The Ukrainian command is forming a strike force to attack the liberated areas of the Zaporozhye region, said Volodymyr Rogov, a member of the main council of the regional administration. According to him, the main task of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is to reach the shores of the Sea of Azov, cut the Russian grouping and cut off the land corridor to the Crimea.

The official also said that Kyiv is sabotaging the creation of a security zone around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency. According to Rogov, the Ukrainian authorities are hindering the initiative, since they still expect to seize the station.

The Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, meanwhile, said that the situation around the ZNPP "looks deadlocked." According to the head of the department, German Galushchenko, Kyiv's position remains unchanged - any agreements on the station should "be based on demilitarization, the withdrawal of Rosatom specialists and the possibility of Ukrainian personnel to be at the facility."

DPR

From the beginning of the day, Ukrainian formations opened fire on Donetsk, as well as the Yasinovatsky district and the settlements of Vladimirovka, Nikolskoye, Volnovakha, Gorlovka, Mikhailovka, Verkhnetoretskoye. Residential buildings were damaged as a result of attacks in Verkhnetoretsky.

The Wall Street Journal, citing sources in the Ukrainian army, reported that in the Bakhmut area, units of the Wagner PMC over the past few months have defeated several of the most trained units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This jeopardizes Kyiv's plans for a spring offensive.

In Donetsk, a memorial plaque was opened in honor of the commander of the Sparta battalion, Volodymyr Zhoga, who died a year ago during the battles for Volnovakha. The plate is installed at the Republican Center for Unmanned Systems, opened on the initiative of Zhoga.

LC

The Armed Forces of Ukraine opened fire on Lisichansk using a 155 mm artillery gun. A civilian was killed, 7 more people were injured. The city administration reported that Ukrainian formations were aiming at civilians standing in line for water.