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Russo-Ukraine War - 19 April 2023 - Day 420

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 since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian state has systematically used information operations as a major element of its strategy. It has cultivated multiple channels and proxies to spread disinformation: the intentional creation and sharing of false or manipulated information.

One component of Russia's disinformation is 'narrative laundering', whereby Russia promotes information from proxies, or unverified social media sources, which then permeates to more mainstream or state-run media. This aims to cloud the source of the information, making it easier for the Russian state to distance itself from the message. It then promotes misleading fragments of the narrative, while masking its vested interest.

Russian state actors present manipulated narratives in both orchestrated and opportunistic ways. Their current priorities almost certainly include discrediting the Ukrainian government and reducing international support for Ukraine.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of April 19, Russian forces launched 3x missile and 37x air strikes. The attacks included employment of 12x Shahed-136 UAVs. 10x of them were destroyed by Ukrainian defenders. In addition, Russian forces launched 57x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements, killing and wounding civilians, destroying and damaging private houses and other civilian infrastructure. The likelihood of missile and air strikes across Ukraine remains high.

At the cost of heavy losses, Russia continues to focus its main efforts on offensive operations on Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Mar'inka axes. More than 40x Russian attacks were repelled in the above-mentioned frontline areas during the day of April 19. The fiercest fighting is for Bakhmut and Mar'inka.
Volyn, Polissya, Sivershchyna, and Slobozhanshchyna axes: no significant changes. During the day of April 19, Russian forces shelled the settlements of Boyaro-Lezhachi, Iskryskivshchyna, Volfyne, Katerynivka, and Kindrativka (Sumy oblast), Strilecha, Ohirtseve, Vovchans'k, Petropavlivka, Karaichne, Zemlyanky, and Odradne (Kharkiv oblast).
Kupyans'k axis: Krasne Pershe, Novomlyns'k, Dvorichna, Zapadne, and Berestove (Kharkiv oblast) came under Russian artillery fire.
Lyman axis: Russian forces attempted to improve its tactical situation and conducted unsuccessful offensives in the vicinity of the southern outskirts of Kreminna. Stel'makhivka, Nevs'ke, Dibrova, Kuz'myne, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Ivanivka, and Verkhn'okam'yans'ke (Donetsk oblast) were shelled with artillery.
Bakhmut axis: Russia continues its offensive operations.
Heavy fighting for the city of Bakhmut continues. Fedorivka, Vasyukivka, Min'kivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Novomarkove, Hryhorivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Predtechyne, Kostyantynivka, Druzhkivka, Oleksandro-Shul'tyne, Bila Hora, Druzhba, and Zalizne (Donetsk oblast) were shelled by Russian forces.
Avdiivka axis: Russian forces attempted offensives in the vicinities of Avdiivka, Vodyane, and Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast), to no success. In particular, the invaders shelled Novokalynove, Avdiivka, Netaylove, Pervomais'ke, and Nevel's'ke.
Mar'inka axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled numerous Russian attacks in the vicinities of Mar'inka and Pobjeda (Donetsk oblast) during the day of April 19. At the same time, Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, and Novomykhailivka came under Russian fire.
Shakhtars'ke axis: Russian forces made unsuccessful attempts at offensive operations in the vicinity of Vuhledar. The Russian invaders shelled Vuhledar, Novoukrainka, and Velyka Novosilka (Donetsk oblast).
Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russia stays on the defensive. At the same time, the Russian invaders shelled more than 30x settlements during the day of April 19. Among them are Vremivka, Novopil' (Donetsk oblast), Burlats'ke, Malynivka, Zaliznychne, Mali Shcherbaky, Kam'yans'ke (Zaporizhzhia oblast), Havrylivka, Beryslav, Vesele, Antonivka (Kherson oblast), and the city of Kherson.
In the village of Kabychivka (Luhansk oblast), the so-called "authorities" put installed by Russian occupation forces received an order to set up a military hospital for the occupiers with 40x beds on the territory of the village cultural centre. Russian military doctors are expected to arrive at the newly established medical facility by the end of the week.

Russia continues to use the civilians of the temporarily occupied territories for its own purposes, using them as human shields to hide behind. Thus, in the city of Skadovs'k (Kherson oblast), the Russian occupiers began to force all collaborators and those cooperating with them as of 18 April to sign a commitment to not travel outside the district.

The Ukrainian Air Force launched 7x air strikes on the concentrations of the occupiers troops during the day of April 19. In the meantime, missile and artillery troops hit 2x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons, and military equipment, as well as 2x ammunition depots.

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that PMC "Wagner" continues to fight for Bakhmut. The successes of the Russian units "in certain areas" were recognized, including by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. At the same time, the deputy head of the department, Anna Malyar, announced the "assault actions" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in this direction, calling it an "element of the counteroffensive."

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported unsuccessful attempts by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to attack PMC attack aircraft in the areas of Stupochek and Krasnoye, as well as in the north-west and in the center of Bakhmut. At the same time, the "Wagnerites", the agency says, liberated 3 blocks in the northwest, southwest and in the center of the city.

According to the agency, aviation conducted 4 sorties in the Bakhmut direction during the day, artillery performed 67 fire missions. In the area of Seversk, a crossing over the Seversky Donets, induced by the enemy, was destroyed, and a fuel depot for military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was hit in Konstantinovka.

The situation in other directions

DPR

During the day, Ukrainian armed formations opened fire on Donetsk, Gorlovka, Makiivka, Shakhtyorsk and Yasinovataya.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced the defeat of the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Pavlovka and Vugledar. An ammunition depot of Ukrainian troops was destroyed in the Krasnogorovka area, and a command and observation post in Avdiivka. At Vladimirovka and Neskuchny, the actions of 2 enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups were stopped. Aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down 2 Ukrainian MiG-29s in the areas of Novoukrainka and Sergeevka in a day. A Su-25 aircraft of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was hit by air defense systems in the Ugledar area.

LC

The Russian Defense Ministry reported on strikes against the positions of the Ukrainian army in the areas of Novoselovsky, Nevsky and Chervona Dibrova.

Zaporozhye region

In Melitopol, a local resident was detained for passing information to the Armed Forces of Ukraine about the location of civilian infrastructure and units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. It is reported by RIA Novosti with reference to a source in the local law enforcement agencies.

A trade union of workers has been created at the Zaporozhye NPP, which has already been joined by almost 1.4 thousand people. The first meeting of the organization took place on Wednesday.

Kherson region

In the Kherson direction, Russian troops destroyed up to 30 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 vehicles, a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery mount and a D-30 howitzer during the day. An ammunition depot of the territorial defense was hit in the Zmievka area.