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Russo-Ukraine War - 21 April 2023 - Day 422

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 with soft ground conditions across most of Ukraine, severe mud is highly likely slowing operations for both sides in the conflict.

However, Russian online outlets are likely exaggerating the overall impact of mud on Ukrainian forces as part of an information operation aimed at raising Russian morale, and undermining Ukraine's supporters, in light of an anticipated Ukrainian counter offensive.

Surface conditions can be expected to improve in the coming weeks. The threat from mines probably continues to be a more important factor in limiting the combatants' off-road manoeuvre.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of April 21, Russian forces launched 2x missile and 28x air strikes, about 20x MLRS attacks. Last night, Russian forces employed 12x Shahed-136 combat UAVs to launch air strikes, 8x of which were destroyed by Ukrainian defenders. The likelihood of missile and air strikes across Ukraine remains high.

Russia's main focus is the offensive operations on Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Mar'inka, and Shakhtars'ke axes. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled about 30x Russian attacks in these areas of the frontline during the day of April 21. The city of Bakhmut remains at the epicenter of the fighting.
Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. Certain units of the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus continue their missions in the areas bordering Ukraine. Certain units of the territorial troops of the Russian Armed Forces continue their deployment on the territory of Belarus.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: a certain number of Russian troops remains stationed in the areas of Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts (russia) bordering Ukraine. During the day of April 21, the invaders shelled the settlements of Leonivka (Chernihiv oblast), Kindrativka (Sumy oblast), Hoptivka, and Vovchans'ki Khutory (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: during the day of April 21, Russian forces attempted to improve the tactical situation and conducted an assault near the settlement of Lyman Pershyi. To no success. Krasne Pershe, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Kotlyarivka, and Berestove (Kharkiv oblast) came under Russian fire.
Lyman axis: Russian forces did not conduct any offensive operations during the day of April 21. Stel'makhivka, Makiivka, Nevs'ke, Dibrova, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Ivanivka, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Spirne, Zvanivka (Donetsk oblast) were shelled with artillery.
Bakhmut axis: Russia continues its offensive operations.
Fierce fighting for the city of Bakhmut continues. Russian forces attempted an advance near the settlement of Bohdanivka. Rozdolivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Chasiv Yar, Oleksandro-Shul'tyne, Bila Hora, Dyliivka, Zalizne, Pivnichne, Pivdenne, and New York (Donetsk oblast) suffered from Russian shelling.
Avdiivka axis: Russian forces conducted offensive operations in the vicinities of Novokalynove, Stepove, and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast), to no success. The invaders shelled the settlements of Novokalynove, Stepove, Avdiivka, Tonen'ke, Pervomais'ke, and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast).
Mar'inka axis: during the day of April 21, Ukrainian defenders repelled numerous Russian attacks in the vicinity of settlement of Mar'inka. At the same time, Krasnohorivka, Mar'inka, Heorhiivka, Pobjeda, and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast) were shelled by Russian forces.
Shakhtars'ke axis: during the day of April 21, Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensives in the vicinity of Vuhledar. The Russian invaders shelled the settlements of Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva, Velyka Novosilka (Donetsk oblast).
Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russian forces stay on the defensive. During the day of April 21, the Russian invaders fired mortars and artillery at the vicinities of Ol'hivs'ke, Pavlivka, Malynivka, Hulyaipole, Novodanylivka, Novoandriivka (Zaporizhzhia oblast), as well as the city of Kherson.

Recently, an occupation unit of about 300x recruited convicts arrived in the temporarily occupied Skadovs'k (Kherson oblast), allegedly to ensure law and order. Rumors are being spread among the Russian occupiers about the prompt end of active combat to be followed by territorial concessions in favor of Russia. The rumors are probably intended to boost the Russian invaders' morale. At the same time, certain combat units previously located in the city are reported to be gradually withdrawn from the settlement to the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

During the day of April 21, Ukrainian Air Force launched 1x air strike on a concentration of Russian troops and military equipment. Ukrainian missile and artillery troops hit 1x concentrations of Russian troops, 1x anti-aircraft missiles and system, as well as 2x other important military Russian targets.

Entrepreneur Yevgeny Prigozhin refutes reports that have appeared in the media about the closing of the "cauldron" around the Ukrainian garrison remaining on the western outskirts of the city. Despite the successes of the Wagner PMC in the area of the Chasov Yar-Khromovo highway, the defenders still have communication routes with the outside world, so we are only talking about an operational encirclement, in which all roads are shot through.

In the meantime, according to military observer Boris Rozhin, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (APU) are gathering reserves to Chasov Yar, Rai-Aleksandrovka and the Seversky salient. This can be interpreted as preparation for a strike on the flanks of the group advancing on Bakhmut, which is obviously hampered by the continuing slush. The accumulated reserves are periodically subjected to air and artillery strikes.

The situation in other directions

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, during the day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine along the entire line of contact lost about 525 servicemen, 9 armored vehicles, 13 vehicles, 2 D-20 and 2 Msta-B howitzers, Akatsiya and 2 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery mounts, a rocket system "Grad".

Aircraft and artillery hit 94 enemy artillery positions and 135 areas where enemy units were concentrated. Intercepted three drones and three missiles from HIMARS systems.

In addition, three ammunition depots were destroyed in the areas of the settlements of Kislovka, Gulyaipole and Poltavka, two of which belong to the 65th and 44th brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, a storage facility for fuel and fuels and lubricants was liquidated in Konstantinovka.