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Russo-Ukraine War - 07 April 2023 - Day 408

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 in recent days, Russian forces have regained some momentum in the battle for Bakhmut. Since late March 2023 their advance had largely stalled.

Russia has made further gains and has now highly likely advanced into the town centre, and has seized the west bank of the Bakhmutka River. Ukraine's key 0506 supply route to the west of the town is likely severely threatened. Russian regular forces, likely including airborne troops, have probably reinforced the area, and Russia is again using artillery more effectively in the sector.

There is realistic possibility that, locally, Wagner and Russian MoD commanders have paused their ongoing feud and improved co-operation.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day, Russian forces launched 2x rocket and 14x air strikes, and conducted more than 10x MLRS attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops and the civilian infrastructure.

The probability of launching missile and air strikes remains high throughout the territory of Ukraine.

Russia focuses its main efforts on offensive actions on Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Mar'yinka axes, where more than 40x Russian attacks were repelled by the Ukrainian Defense Forces during the day.
Volyn', Polissya, Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: operational situation has not changed significantly; there are no signs of formations of Russian offensive groupings. Russia continues to harden fortifications in the border areas of its Kursk oblast.
During the day, Russian forces shelled Leonivka and Hremyach (Chernihiv oblast); Novovasylivka and Zaruts'ke (Sumy oblast); as well as Huryiv Kozachok, Verkhnya Pysarivka, Grafs'ke, Karaichne, Ambarne, and Bologhivka (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: the settlements of Topoli, Figolivka, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Krokhmalne, Husynka, and Kindrasivka (Kharkiv oblast); and Novoselivs'ke (Luhansk oblast) were subjects to Russian attacks.
Lyman axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in the vicinities of Serebryansk Forestry and Verkhn'yokam'yans'k. Makiivka, Nevs'ke, Dibrova, Kuzmine, and Beloghorivka (Luhansk oblast); Spirne and Berestov (Donetsk oblast) suffered artillery attacks.
Bakhmut axis: Russia makes further attempts to seize the town of Bakhmut. Russian forces attempted unsuccessful offensives in the vicinities of Bohdanivka and Ivanivs'ke (Donetsk oblast). Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled about 14x Russian attacks. Vasyukivka, Minkivka, Bakhmut, Bohdanivka, Ivanivs'ke, Kurdyumivka, Bila Hora, Novodmytrivka, Druzhba, and Diliivka (Donetsk oblast) came under Russian fire.
Avdiivka and Mar'yinka axes: Russian forces attempted unsuccessful offensives in the vicinities of Novokalynove, Severne, Pervomais'ke, Mar'yinka, and Pobieda. Mar'yinka faced the fiercest fights. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled more than 10x attacks on Mar'yinka. At the same time, Novobakhmutivka, Avdiivka, Vodyane, Pervomais'ke, Karlivka, Heorghiivka, Mar'yinka, and Pobieda (Donetsk oblast) were subject to Russian attacks.
Shakhtars'ke axis: during the day, Russian forces did not conduct offensive operations. However, Russian occupiers shelled Vuhledar, Kermenchyk, Novomayors'ke, Zolota Nyva, Shakhtars'ke, and Velyka Novosilka (Donetsk oblast).
Zaporizhzhya and Kherson axes: Russian occupiers keep herding defensive lines and fortifications. Russian forces shelled Vremivka (Donetsk oblast); Zatyshsha, Hulyaipole, Hulyaipils'ke, Biloghira, and Kam'yans'ke (Zaporizhzhia oblast); Havrylivka, Beryslav, Vesele, Antonivka, Berehove, and Veletens'ke (Kherson oblast); as well as Kherson.
Russian occupiers continue the so-called "forced passportization" on the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Oblasts, exerting psychological and physical pressure on people. In particular, Russian military restrict movement of Ukrainian citizens without Russian passport through previously established checkpoints. The Russian occupiers purposefully and intentionally search vehicles, take records of all personal data of those citizens who do not have Russian documents, and threaten them to restrict entry into the city.

Moreover, the Russian occupiers force local postmen to distribute registrations forms to the local population that require to specify data on the presence of Russian passport. Citizens who do not have Russian passport are subjects to constant searches, intimidation and coercion to obtain this document. The occupiers threaten forced eviction from their own homes and confiscation of private property if they refuse to receive a Russian passport.

At the same time, Russia threatens to restrict issuance of basic education certificates to the parents of senior school students. Also, the Russian invaders are forcing to change the marriage certificates and the certificate of registration of technical means from Ukrainian to Russian samples.

During the day, Ukrainian Air Force delivered 9x air strikes on the concentrations of Russian troops. In addition, 1x russian Su-25 attack aircraft was shot down near Mar'yinka. Ukrainian missile and artillery troops attacked 1x ammunition depot.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that units of PMC "Wagner" are moving from the center of Bakhmut to the western quarters. The central region itself is under the complete control of the "orchestra", while retreating from their positions here, Ukrainian troops blew up a number of administrative buildings. Fierce battles are going on for the railway station of the former Artemovsk, businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin said.

Offensive operations continue in the direction of Bogdanovka and Krasnoe. Attacks were made on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Vasyukovka, Minkovka, Kurdyumovka, Druzhba.

The situation in other directions

DNR

During the day, Ukrainian troops opened fire on Donetsk, as well as the settlements of Makeevka, Vladimirovka, Yasinovataya, Yakovlevka, Yelenovka. As a result of attacks in Vladimirovka, a civilian was injured. In Donetsk, the areas of the Covered Market, Theater Avenue and Pushkin Boulevard were hit, a civilian was killed, and 16 more people were injured.

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that during the day strikes were carried out on units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Liman, Donetsk, South-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions. The enemy lost about 330 servicemen and a large number of military equipment. In the area of ​​Ivanovka, an ammunition depot of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was hit.

LC

The Russian Defense Ministry announced the destruction of an ammunition depot of Ukrainian troops in the Novolyubovka area.

Former LPR Ambassador to Russia Rodion Miroshnik commented on the initiative of Pope Francis to introduce a 2-week truce in the special operation zone in connection with the Easter holidays. According to Miroshnik, the ceasefire will not be enforced by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a pause in the actions of Russian units will only help Kyiv wait for the arrival of military equipment from the West.

Zaporozhye region

The growing activity of Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups (DRGs) in the Zaporozhye direction indicates the readiness of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to launch a counteroffensive in this sector of the front, Vladimir Rogov, a member of the main council of the regional administration, believes. According to him, the activation of the DRG was recorded in the Vasilyevsky and Pologovsky districts.

The security initiative at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant rests on the position of Kyiv, which is not yet ready to confirm the refusal to shell the facility. Mikhail Ulyanov, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation in Vienna, stated this. In his opinion, one should not count on the implementation of the initiative of the International Atomic Energy Agency at the plant in the near future.

Kherson region

14 Ukrainian servicemen and equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed in the course of a fire attack in the Kherson direction in a day, the RF Ministry of Defense reported. In addition, the command and observation post of the Ukrainian territorial defense in the area of ​​Novoberislav was hit.