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Russo-Ukraine War - 20 April 2023 - Day 421

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 on 18 April 2023, the Kremlin issued a press release on President Putin's visit to Russian-occupied southern Ukraine. Using the Russian spelling of Ukraine's Dnipro river, the release described the president as having visited the 'Dnipr Group of Forces'.

This is one of the first references to the existence of a Dnipr Group of Forces (DGF). Russia uses the term 'group of forces' in a specific way, indicating a large, task-organised operational formation.

Early in the invasion, the Russian force was organised into groups of forces each aligned to their home military districts in Russia, for example, the Western and Central Groups of Forces. The existence of an apparently new DGF suggest that the original force organisation has evolved, probably due to heavy losses. DGF's mission is likely to defend the southern sector of the occupied zone, and especially the south-western flank which is currently marked by the Dnipro river.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day, Russian forces launched 17x air strikes and conducted 33x MLRS attacks on Ukrainian settlements and positions of Ukrainian Defense Forces. The attacks caused casualties among civilian population. The threat of further missile and air strikes across Ukraine remains high.

Russia concentrates main efforts on Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Mar'yinka and Shakhtars'ke axes - more than 40x Russian attacks were repelled. The fiercest battles are being fought for the city of Bakhmut.

Volyn', Polissya, Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: operational situation has not changed significantly. Certain units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus remain in the areas bordering Ukraine. Certain units of Russian territorial troops undergo training in Belarus.

Russia maintains enhanced military presence in its Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts bordering Ukraine.

During the day, Russian forces shelled Yanzhulivka, Halaganivka, and Hremyachka (Chernihiv oblast); Stukalyvka and Pavlivka (Sumy oblast); Kozacha Lopan, Hoptivka, Neskuchne, and Khatne (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: Krasne Pershe, Novomlynsk, Dvorichna, Zapadne, and Berestove (Kharkiv oblast) were subjects to artillery fire.
Lyman axis: attempting to improve tactical situation, Russian forces conducted unsuccessful attacks in the vicinities of Serebryansk forestry.
Stelmakhivka, Nevs'ke, Dibrova, and Biloghorivka (Luhansk oblast); Ivanivka, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke and Spirne (Donetsk oblast) came under artillery fire.
Bakhmut axis: Russian forces continue to conduct offensive operations.
The battle for Bakhmut continues. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 22x Russian attacks.
Vasyukivka, Minkivka, Zaliznyans'ke, Orihovo-Vasylivka, Novomarkove, Hryhorivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivs'ke, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Bila Hora, Druzhba, Zalizne, Nelipivka, and New York (Donetsk oblast) were shelled.
Avdiivka axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful attacks in the vicinities of Kamianka, Pervomais'ke, and Nevels'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian occupiers shelled Keramik, Stepove, Kamianka, Tonen'ke, Sjeverne, Karlivka, Pervomais'ke, and Nevels'ke.
Mar'yinka axis: Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled numerous Russian attacks in the vicinities of Mar'yinka and Pobieda (Donetsk oblast).
Russian forces shelled Krasnohorivka, Maksimilianivka, Heorghiivka, Mar'yinka, Pobieda, and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast).
Shakhtars'ke axis: during the day, Russian forces attempted to advance in the vicinities of Prechistivka and Vuhledar. All attacks have failed.
Russian occupiers shelled Novoukrayinka, Velyka Novosilka, Zolota Niva, Prechistivka, and Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast).
Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russia stays on the defensive.
Russian occupiers shelled more than 40x settlements along the contact line, including Vremivka and Novopil' (Donetsk oblast); Chervone, Hulyaipole, Mala Tokmachka, and Orihiv (Zaporizhia oblast); Beryslav, Ivanivka, and Vesele (Kherson oblast), and the city of Kherson.

Fearing leakage of information about their units, the Russian occupiers have reinforced counter-intelligence measures in several districts of Kherson oblast. They dispatch additional patrols and conduct frequent searches of local houses. At the same time, during such inspections, the Russian occupiers conduct surveys of citizens and offer them service in the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

During the day, Ukrainian Air Force attacked 1x concentration of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment. Ukrainian missile and artillery troops attacked 3x Russian command posts.

Military observer Boris Rozhin reports that Wagner PMCs made their way to the O-0506 road between Chasovy Yar and Khromovo, which supplies the garrison. In addition, today the columns of two units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), moving along this segment, came under artillery strikes.

The Rybar Telegram channel confirms the battles for the track and talks about the cleansing of the Transit Hotel, which moves the line of contact away from the railway station. To the west of the elevator, the Armed Forces of Ukraine unsuccessfully counterattacked.

The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, announces the suppression by airborne troops and artillery of Ukrainian attempts to transfer reserves along the flanks and attack them. During the day, aviation made ten sorties here, and the batteries completed 64 tasks, hitting targets in Stupochki, Ivanovsky, Bogdanovka, among other things.

The situation in other directions

Over the past 24 hours, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have lost about 625 servicemen, 9 armored vehicles, 2 pickup trucks, 5 tanks, 7 infantry fighting vehicles, a Gvozdika self-propelled gun, 2 D-30, M777 howitzers and 3 Msta-B, 6 vehicles, a rocket launcher " City".

An ammunition depot of the Ukrainian 72nd brigade was destroyed near the village of Vodiane. At Pavlovka, Malinovka, Sinkovka, Timkovka, Rozovka, the activity of five sabotage groups was stopped. Three drones were intercepted.

In total, Russian artillery and aviation hit 86 enemy artillery positions and 127 troop concentration areas in a day. Three command posts of the 25th and 116th brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were liquidated near Terny and Tonenkiy, and a blow was struck at the joint headquarters of the Bakhmut group in Konstantinovka.