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Russo-Ukraine War - 23 April 2023 - Day 424

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 the Russian MoD has launched a major new drive for volunteer recruits. A pervasive campaign has seen advertising appear on Russian social media sites, on billboards, and on TV.

The new adverts appeal to potential recruits' masculine pride, appealing for 'real men', as well as highlighting the financial benefits of joining up.

Since its access to prisoner recruitment was stopped, the Wagner Group private military company is also competing for the limited pool of Russian fighting-age men. It remains highly unlikely that the campaign will attract the MoD's reported target of 400,000 volunteers. The authorities are almost certainly seeking to delay any new, overt mandatory mobilisation for as long as possible to minimise domestic dissent.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of April 23, Russian forces launched 28x air strikes and around 10x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. The attacks have wounded civilians, destroyed and damaged private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure. The likelihood of missile and air strikes across Ukraine remains high.

Russian forces' main efforts are the offensive operations on Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mar'inka axes. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled more than 45x Russian attacks in these areas of the frontline during the day of April 23. The fiercest fighting is for Bakhmut and Mar'inka.

Volyn and Polissya axes: the operational situation remains stable. No signs of formation of an offensive group. 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 23, the Russian invaders shelled the settlements of Chervona Zorya (Sumy oblast), Hoptivka, Zelene, Neskuchne, Budarky, Milove, and Krasne Pershe (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces fired artillery at the settlements of Dvorichna, Hryanykivka, Masyutivka, Lyman Pershyi, Kyslivka, and Berestove (Kharkiv oblast).
Lyman axis: Russian forces did not conduct any offensive operations during the day of April 23. Settlements near the front line were shelled with artillery, namely: Makiivka, Nevs'ke, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Dibrova, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, and Spirne (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: Russia continues its offensive operations.
Heavy battles for the city of Bakhmut continue. Also, during the day of April 23, Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensives on the outskirts of settlements of Hryhorivka and Bohdanivka. Vasyukivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Markove, Hryhorivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Chasiv Yar, Novodmytrivka, Kostyantynivka, and New York (Donetsk oblast) suffered from Russian shelling.
Avdiivka axis: Russian forces conducted offensive operations in the vicinities of Novokalynove and Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces suffered heavy losses and gained no success. The Russian invaders shelled settlements near the line of contact, including: Novokalynove, Avdiivka, Lastochkyne, Pervomais'ke, Karlivka, and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast).
Mar'inka axis: during the day of April 23, Ukrainian defenders repelled numerous adversary attacks in the northern and central parts of the settlement of Mar'inka, as well as in the vicinity of Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). At the same time, the settlements of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Mar'inka, Novomykhailivka, and Paraskoviivka (Donetsk oblast) were shelled by Russian forces.
Shakhtars'ke axis: Russian forces did not conduct any offensive operations during the day of April 23. The Russian invaders shelled the settlements of Bohoyavlenka, Novoukrainka, Vuhledar, Zolota Nyva, and Velyka Novosilka (Donetsk oblast).
Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russia stays on the defensive. Russian forces shelled more than 35x settlements, including Vremivka (Donetsk oblast), Malynivka, Hulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Huliaipilske, Bilohir'ya, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanylivka, Novoandriivka, Kam'yans'ke (Zaporizhzhya oblast), Zolota Balka, Beryslav, Vesele, Ivanivka, Inzhenerne, Antonivka, Dniprovs'ke, Veletyns'ke, Kizomys (Kherson oblast), and the city of Kherson.

With no significant achievements on the battlefield, the Russian Armed Forces and "Wagner Group" PMC are increasingly attempting to find someone to blame for the defeats. They shift the responsibility for their own tactical miscalculations and losses suffered onto each other. As a result, a fight between Russian Armed Forces and PMC Wagner mercenaries broke out in the settlement of Stanytsia Luhanska (Luhansk oblast) recently. It escalated into a shootout with participants on both sides killed as a result.

The Russian occupation forces continue to suffer heavy losses on the battlefield. All medical facilities in the temporarily occupied territory are overcrowded with wounded occupiers. As a result, Russia is forced to use educational institutions in the temporarily occupied territories for its own purposes. For example, the Russian invaders re-purposed a local school in the settlement of Mistky (Luhansk oblast) into a military hospital. It holds a large number of wounded Russians. In addition, all medical institutions of the occupiers are in great shortage of medicines and bandages.

During the day of April 23, Ukrainian Air Force launched 11x air strikes on the concentrations of Russian troops and military equipment. 2x Merlin and 1x Orlan-10 reconnaissance UAVs of the Russian forces were shot down.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported Units of PMC "Wagner" are advancing in the west of Bakhmut. Fighting also continues along the highway west of Khromovo.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation during the briefing reported on 6 sorties and 72 fire missions carried out by artillery in the Bakhmut direction. According to the department, in the areas of Grigorovka and Kalinin, the reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit.

In addition, the positions of Ukrainian troops in the areas of Vasyukovka, Orekhovo-Vasilevka, Markovo, Krasny, Chasov Yar, Novodmitrovka were hit.

The situation in other directions

Donbass

During the day, Ukrainian troops opened fire on Donetsk, Makiivka, Zaitsevo, Aleksandrovka, Panteleymonovka, Vladimirovka and Yasinovataya. As a result of attacks in Makiivka, 2 civilians were killed, another one was injured. It is also reported that a civilian was injured in Aleksandrovka. The mayor of Donetsk, Aleksey Kulemzin, announced the death of a man during shelling, and 4 more local residents were injured.

Russian troops attacked the positions of Ukrainian troops in the areas of Vuhledar, Pavlovka, Novodonetsky, Ternov and Torsky. A mobile fire group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed in the Novomayorsky area. In the areas of Serebryanka and Vesely, a command and observation post and 2 enemy ammunition depots were hit.

In the LPR, Russian troops hit units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Chervonaya Dibrova and Nevsky.

Zaporozhye region

Russian units destroyed the Ukrainian DRG in the Malinovka area, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the residential sector of the city of Tokmak. As a result of the attack, a private house was damaged, but the residents themselves were not injured.

Kherson region

The Russian Defense Ministry reported the destruction of up to 45 Ukrainian servicemen and 3 vehicles in the Kherson direction during the day.

Ukrainian troops opened fire on Novaya Kakhovka. One of the shells hit a residential building.

Acting Governor of the Kherson region Volodymyr Saldo denied rumors about the base of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the left bank of the Dnieper. According to him, the Russian military is in full control of the territory.