Russo-Ukraine War - 24 March 2023 - Day 394

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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 as of mid-March 2023, Russia had likely redeployed at least 1,000 troops who had been training at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in south-western Belarus.

Although no new rotation of troops has been noted, Russia has highly likely left the tented camp in place, suggesting it is considering continuing the training programme.

The fact Russia has resorted to training its personnel under the much less-experienced Belarusian army highlights how Russia's 'special military operation' has severely dislocated the Russian military's training system – instructors have largely been deployed in Ukraine. Russia likely also views Belarus's continued indirect support to the operation as important political messaging.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day, Russian forces conducted 40x air and 5x missile strikes, and carried out more than 20x MLRS attacks against civilian infrastructure and positions of Ukrainian Defense Forces. The attacks resulted in casualties among civilian population.

The threat of missile and air strikes remains high across Ukraine as Russia continues to use terror tactics.

Russia concentrates main efforts on offensive operations on Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Mar'yinka, and Shakhtars'k axes. Ukrainian defenders repelled more than 38x Russian attacks there.
Volyn', Polissya, Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the operational situation has not changed significantly; there are no signs of the formations of Russian offensive groupings. Russian military undergo further combat training on the Republic of Belarus. Russia maintains enhanced military presence in the border areas of Kursk and Belgorod oblasts. During the day, Russian forces shelled the vicinities of Horodyshche (Chernihiv oblast); Kharkivka, Iskryskivshchyna, Vorozhba, Bilopillya, Richki, and Myropillya (Sumy oblast); Basov, Veterynarne, Kozacha Lopan, Krasne, Ohirtseve, Vovchansk, Ambarne, and Topoli (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k and Lyman axes: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensives in Serebryansk forestry area and in the vicinities of Hryanykivka and Bilohorivka. Russian artillery units shelled the vicinities of Kam'yanka, Dvorichna, Hryanykivka, Zapadne, Kup'yans'k, and Pishchane (Kharkiv oblast); Stelmakhivka, Nevs'ke, Dibrova, and Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast); as well as Terny and Spirne (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: Russian forces made further unsuccessful attempts to seize the town of Bakhmut and to attack Ukrainian positions in the vicinities of Orihovo-Vasylivka, Bohdanivka, Ivanivs'ke, and Stupochky settlements (Donetsk oblast). The Russian occupiers shelled Minkivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Hryhorivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivs'ke, Chasiv Yar, Stupochki, Predtechyne, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Zalizne, Severny, and Torets'k.
Avdiivka, Mar'yinka, and Shakhtars'k axes: Russian forces attempted to advance towards Keramik, Stepove, Avdiivka, Severne, Pervomais'ke, and Pobieda settlements (Donetsk oblast). However, all attacks have failed. Avdiivka, Tonen'ke, Netaylove, Lastochkine, Heorgiivka, Mar'yinka, Pobieda, Novomykhailivka, Vuhledar, Prechistivka, and Zolota Niva (Donetsk oblast) were subjects to numerous Russian attacks.
Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russia stays on the defensive. However, the Russian occupiers shelled Olhivs'ke, Malynivka, Chervone, Hulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Charivne, Biloghirya, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, Orihiv, Novoandriivka, and Stepove (Zaporizhia oblast); Bilozerka and the city of Kherson.

The Russian invaders continue to put pressure on civilian population of the temporarily occupied settlements of Luhansk oblast of Ukraine. It is becoming more and more difficult to move between settlements. In particular, the village of Plugatar can be accessed only by local residents with special passes.

During the day, Ukrainian Air Force conducted 16x air strikes on the concentrations of Russian troops and military equipment.

Ukrainian defenders shot down 1x Shahed-136 and 1x Lancet loitering munitions.

At the same time, Ukrainian missiles and artillery troops attacked 2x command posts, 4x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment, 2x anti-aircraft missile systems, 1x ammunition depot, 1x artillery system, and 2x electronic warfare stations.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation hit 87 artillery positions of the opposing army, as well as personnel and equipment in 109 districts.

In Sukhoi Liman, a hangar with unmanned aerial vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) was destroyed, and in the Konstantinovka area, an ammunition depot of mercenaries from the Foreign Legion was destroyed. In addition, an AN / TPQ-37 counter-battery radar was eliminated near Stepnoy.

Over the past 24 hours, Russian air defense units have intercepted three HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, as well as 18 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles.

During shelling in the Kherson direction, up to 40 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 vehicles, a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer and an M777 gun were destroyed. Up to 60 soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 2 armored vehicles, 2 cars, a D-20 howitzer and 2 Krab self-propelled guns were liquidated in the Kupyansk sector.

Also today, Ukraine unilaterally handed over to Russia all seriously wounded prisoners of war. This is not about an exchange, but about repatriation without any conditions.

The situation in the Donbass

During the hostilities in the Liman direction, the enemy lost up to 125 military personnel per day, as well as three armored combat vehicles and a Grad rocket launcher.

On the Donetsk sector of the front, more than 380 Ukrainian soldiers were killed or wounded during the fighting, a tank, two infantry fighting vehicles, ten vehicles and a pickup truck, as well as two Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers, were destroyed.

In the South-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, the Vostok group of forces attacked units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Ugledar, Novomikhailovka and Shcherbaki, where more than 40 military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 2 pickup trucks, a D-30 howitzer and a Krab self-propelled artillery installation were liquidated.

Meanwhile, fierce battles continue in Bakhmut and its environs. Military correspondents from the scene report that the assault units of the Wagner PMC continue to move towards the center of the strategic city and in some places have advanced beyond Mariupolskaya Street.