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Russo-Ukraine War - 08 April 2023 - Day 409

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 Russia's campaign to severely degrade Ukraine's unified energy system (UES) within the 2022-23 winter has highly likely failed. Russia has conducted long range strikes since October 2022, but large-scale attacks have become rare since early March 2023. Smaller scale strikes (with fewer than 25 munitions) continue, but are highly likely having much less impact on the UES.

Ukraine's network operating companies continue to source replacement transformers and other critical components. Transporting and installing these components is a major logistical challenge, especially high voltage transformers which weigh at least 100 tonnes.

Ukraine's energy situation will likely improve with the arrival of warmer weather. Planning and preparations for next winter have likely already begun.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day, Russian forces launched 2x missile and 34x air strikes, more than 36 rounds from MLRS. The probability of launching missile and air strikes remains high throughout the territory of Ukraine.

Russia continues to focus its main efforts on conducting offensive actions on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mar'yinka axes - more than 35x Russian attacks were repelled.
Volyn', Polissya, Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the operational situation has not changed significantly, and no signs of the formation of Russian offensive groups have been detected. During the day, Russian forces shelled vicinities of Gremyach, Chernihiv Oblast; Seredyna-Buda, Baranivka, Bezsalivka, Volfine, Turya, Vysoke of the Sumy Oblast, as well as the settlements of Veterinarne, Vilkhivka, Ternova, Vovchansk, Karaichne and Chugunivka in the Kharkiv Oblast.
Kupyansk axis: Kolodyazne, Krasne Pershe, Novomlynsk, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Krokhmalne, Kindrashivka, Pischane and Berestov of the Kharkiv Oblast were hit by Russian fire.
Lyman axis: during the day, Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in the area south of Kuzmyny and Verkhnyokamyansky. Cherneshchyna of the Kharkiv Oblast was hit by artillery fire; Makiivka, Nevske, Dibrova, Bilogorivka in the Luhansk Oblast and Yampolivka, Torske, Siversk, Spirne in the Donetsk Oblast.
Bakhmut axis: Russia continues to conduct offensive actions, tries to take full control of the city of Bakhmut, battles continue. During the day, Russian forces carried out unsuccessful offensive actions in the area of the Bohdanivka settlement. The units of the Ukrainian defense forces repelled about 10x Russian attacks on the indicated section of the front. Vasyukivka, Minkivka, Zaliznyanske, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Markove, Hryhorivka, Bakhmut, Khromove, Chasiv Yar, Ivanovske, Stupochki, Bila Gora and Druzhba of the Donetsk Oblast were affected by Russian shelling.
Avdiivka and Mar'yinka axes: Russian forces carried out unsuccessful offensive actions in the Novokalynovoy, Severnoy, Pervomaiskyi and Mar'yinka districts. The fiercest battles on the indicated section of the front continue for Mar'yinka, where more than 10x Russian attacks were repelled. At the same time, Novokalynove, Kam'ianka, Stepove, Orlivka, Avdiivka, Severne, Netaylove, Krasnohorivka, Mary'inka, Pobieda and Paraskoviivka of the Donetsk Oblast were subjected to Russian shelling.
Shakhtars'ke axis: during the day, Russian forces did not conduct offensive operations. Shelled the settlements of Novomykhailivka, Shakhtars'ke, Novoukrainka, Velyka Novosilka, Vugledar, Prechistivka, Zolota Niva, and Novomayorske in the Donetsk Oblast.
Zaporizhzhya and Kherson axes: Russia continues to build up defensive lines and positions. They carried out shelling of settlements bordering the frontline. Among them are Vremivka, Novopil' of the Donetsk Oblast; Novosilka, Olhivske, Malinivka, Chervone, Gulyaipole, Charivne, Mala Tokmachka of the Zaporizhia Oblast; Dudchany, Kachkarivka, Beryslav, Kozatske, Mykolaivka, Ivanivka, Mykilske, Dniprovske of the Kherson Oblast, as well as Kherson.

The Russian invaders continue to suffer heavy losses. To replenish them, the leadership of the armed forces of the Russian Federation decided to hold early graduations from higher military educational institutions of the aggressor country in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kostroma, Penza, Omsk, Tyumen, Kazan, Novosibirsk, Volsk, and Blagoveshchensk on April 29 of this year. At the same time, graduations from High Military Education Facilities, which prepare specialists for military units of strategic missile forces, aerospace forces and naval forces of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, will be held in accordance with the previously planned schedules.

During the day, the Aviation of the Defense Forces of Ukraine carried out 8x strikes on areas where the Russian occupiers were concentrated. A Russian reconnaissance UAV was also shot down.

Units of missile and artillery troops hit 2x areas of concentration of manpower, weapons and military equipment, 1x ammunition depot, 1x position of anti-aircraft defense equipment and 3x radio electronic warfare stations of the Russian enemy.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that, according to information published by military commander Alexander Simonov, in the district center, the fighters of the Wagner PMC, after clearing the area of the boarding school from the enemy, went to the elevator and the nearby railway fork.

At the same time, the Wagnerites captured the Metallurg stadium and entrenched themselves in the Upper Park. The Church of All Saints and the railway station are still held by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).

In the area of ​​the Avangard stadium, the defenders were driven out of Bakhmutskaya and Rozhdestvenskaya streets, as a result of which the defense line was leveled.

Fighting also continues in the Bakhmut districts of Aircraft, Vodokanal, Poselok. The enemy continues fierce resistance and until they retreat, the supply route from Clock Yar is under fire, but not cut.

The situation in other directions

The Russian army in a day struck 92 enemy artillery positions and 114 areas of accumulation of manpower and equipment. Three ammunition depots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed in Konstantinovka, Berislav, Orekhovo. Air defense assets intercepted seven HIMARS rounds and seven enemy drones.

In the Kupyansky, Limansky and Kherson directions, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost a total of about 170 people, an armored car, 5 cars, 2 D-20 howitzers, Gvozdika and Akatsia self-propelled guns.

At the same time, in the Donetsk and Zaporizhia sectors of the front, as a result of artillery and bombing attacks, as well as direct clashes, Russian units eliminated up to 425 enemy soldiers, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 armored vehicles, 3 vehicles, as well as a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery mount, and also D-20 and D-30 howitzers.