Russo-Ukraine War - 13 March 2023 - Day 383

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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 recent weeks, Wagner Group owner Yevgeny Prigozhin has likely lost access to recruiting in Russian prisons due to his ongoing disputes with the Russian MoD leadership. Prigozhin is highly likely pivoting recruitment efforts towards free Russian citizens.

Since the start of March 2023, Wagner has set up outreach teams based in sports centres in at least 40 locations across Russia. In recent days, masked Wagner recruiters also gave career talks in Moscow high schools, distributing questionnaires entitled 'application of a young warrior' to collect the contact details of interested pupils.

About half of the prisoners Wagner has already deployed in Ukraine have likely become casualties and the new initiatives are unlikely to make up for the loss of the convict recruit pipeline. If the ban endures, Prigozhin will likely be forced to reduce the scale or intensity of Wagner operations in Ukraine.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Russian aggressor main efforts continue to focus on the offensive actions in the Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdiiv, Maryinsky and Shakhtar directions and does not abandon the attempt to enter the administrative border of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

During the day, Russian forces made 29 air strikes and 6 missile strikes. In particular, on the professional-agrarian lyceum of the settlement of Znob-Novgorodsʹke Sumy region. 1 civilian was killed, 5 more civilians were injured. Also Russian invaders hit two rockets at the school in avdííívcí in donetsk region, killed a local resident. In addition, Russian forces carried out more than 10 shellings from jet fire systems.

The level of missile threat throughout Ukraine remains high.

In Volyn, Polísʹkomu, síversʹkomu and slobožansʹkomu directions operational environment without significant changes. Russia maintains a military presence near the state border of Ukraine, but the formation of offensive groups has not been detected. At the same time, Russia continues the engineering equipment of the area in the border areas of Bryansk and Kursk regions. During the day, the Russian invaders fired at the areas of the settlements of Mikhalʹčina Sloboda Chernihiv region, Znob-Novgorodske, Bačivsk, Starikove and Šaligine Sumy region and Streleča, Deepoke, Lukâncí, Hatishche and Vovchansk in Kharkiv region.
In the kupyan and limansʹkomu directions, Russia is trying to break through the defense of our troops. Russia led unsuccessful offensive actions in the direction of Gryanikivka, Masyutivka, Nevsky, Serebryansky Forestry, Bílogorivka and Verkhnyokamyanka. Russian forces carried out artillery shelling of the areas of the settlements of Gryanikivka, Kupyansk and Krokhmalne Kharkiv region and makiivka, díbrova and bílogorívka in luhansk region.
In the Bakhmutsʹkomu direction, Russia does not leave an attempt to capture the city of Bakhmut. Russian forces' attacks were repelled in the areas of the settlements of Orihovo-Vasilivka, Grigorivka, Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske, fighting in Bakhmut. Russian shelling suffered, including bondarne, vas знеkívka, dubovo-vasilívka, bahmut, ivanívsʹke, white mountain, konstantinívka and iron donetsk region.
In the Avdiiv, Maryinsky and Shakhtar directions, Russian forces made unsuccessful offensive actions towards Kamyankaya, Avdiivka, Northern, Pervomaysky and Maryinka. Russian shelling suffered areas of more than 10 settlements next to the line of collision. Among them are Kamyanka, avdííí .vka, Krasnogorívka, marínka, georgííí редvska and vugledar of donetsk region.
In Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, Russia leads defensive actions. The shelling suffered, in particular, Malinivka, Gulyajpole, Mala Tokmachka, Novoandríivka, Kamianske, Novosilka Zaporizhzhia region; Tamaryne and Ochakiv Nikolaiv region, and over 30 settlements in Kherson region. Among them are the Golden Beam, Gavrilivka, Berislav, Zelenivka, Blagoví ,enske, Kherson and Dniprovsk.

Russia continues to suffer losses. Yes, on the territory of the Belovodsk District Hospital of the temporarily occupied territory of the Luhansk region, 150 mercenaries of the so-called "wagner" were brought for treatment.

In the temporarily occupied city of Energodar, at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, the shortage of skilled workers who can ensure the life of the nuclear power plant is growing rapidly. After the nuclear power plant Russian occupants employed persons without appropriate education and experience, the Russian Representatives of "Rosatomu" ended the term of contract. At the same time, they were denied signing a new or extension of the current contract. Also refused to return to Russia, as to work at the nuclear power plant especially to anyone. All this can lead to unforeseen consequences.

During the day, the Aviation of the Defense Forces of Ukraine struck 10 strikes in the areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment of the Russian occupiers.

Statements of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that as a result of strikes on units and clusters of equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, about 440 Ukrainian servicemen were destroyed, as well as a large number of enemy weapons.

Operational-tactical and army aviation, missile forces and artillery hit 76 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, manpower and equipment in 148 districts. In the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), an OSA-AKM anti-aircraft missile system was destroyed.

Air defense systems shot down 12 HIMARS multiple rocket launchers and a HARM anti-radar missile. 16 unmanned aerial vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed in the DPR, Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), Zaporozhye and Kherson regions.

Kherson region

In the part of the Kherson region controlled by Ukraine, the curfew will be strengthened, said the head of the regional administration, appointed by Kiev, Alexander Prokudin. According to him, the restrictions are in effect from 17:00 to 06:30 (from 18:00 to 07:30 Moscow time) from March 13 to 17.

Zaporozhye region

Schools in the Zaporozhye region will cancel the compulsory study of the Ukrainian language from September 1, said the Minister of Education and Science of the region, Elena Shapurova. From the new academic year, the official noted, it will be possible to study Ukrainian only at the request of parents.

The authorities of Ukraine have begun a covert mobilization of students in the region under their control, said Volodymyr Rogov, a member of the main council of the administration of the Zaporozhye region. According to the official, for these purposes, the rectors were instructed to expel students under far-fetched pretexts and transfer the lists of those expelled to the military registration and enlistment offices.

DNR

During the day, Ukrainian troops shelled Donetsk, as well as the Yasinovatsky district and the settlements of Makeevka, Shirokaya Balka, Volnovakha, Aleksandrovka. In Volnovakha, the blow fell on the city center, 2 civilians were killed, 3 more people were injured. In Donetsk, as a result of attacks, 3 civilians were injured, residential buildings and a school building were damaged. It is also reported that a civilian was wounded in Aleksandrovka.

An Accounts Chamber has been created in the DPR, which exercises financial control on the territory of the republic. The press service of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation emphasized that this is a body formed by the regional parliament, and not by the federal department.

LC

Retired Lieutenant Colonel of the People's Militia of the LPR Andrei Marochko did not rule out that although Leopard 2 tanks have not yet been seen on the front line in Donbass, this does not exclude the fact that such equipment was transferred to Ukrainian troops. He also drew attention to the fact that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are actively using American M113 armored personnel carriers on the line of contact.

The head of the administration of the Perevalsky district, Vitaly Mikhailov, said that all those injured as a result of the UAF attack on March 12 received the necessary medical care. HIMARS killed 3 civilians and injured 15 others.