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Russo-Ukraine War - 26 April 2023 - Day 427

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 heavy, short-range combat continues in the western districts of the contested Donetsk Oblast town of Bakhmut. A key development over the last week has been fighting on the outskirts of the town, especially near the village of Khromove, as Ukraine seeks to maintain control of its 0506 supply route.

Ukraine's other resupply options into Bakhmut are likely complicated by muddy conditions on unsurfaced tracks.

With the town having now been under attack for over 11 months, the Ukrainian defences of Bakhmut have now been integrated as one element of a much deeper defensive zone, which includes the town of Chasiv Yar to the west.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of April 26, Russian forces launched 3x missile strikes, 31x air strikes, and up to 26x MLRS attacks. The attacks caused casualties among civilians (both dead and wounded), and damage to private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure. The likelihood of missile and air strikes across Ukraine remains high.

The Russian forces' main efforts are the offensive operations on Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Mar'inka axes. 43x Russian attacks were repelled during the day of April 26. The fiercest fighting is for Bakhmut and Mar'inka.
Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of the formation of Russian offensive groups were found.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russian troops remain stationed in the areas of Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts (russia) bordering Ukraine. During the day of April 26, the Russian invaders fired artillery and mortars at Medvedivka, Halahanivka, Leonivka, Buda-Vorob'ivs'ka, Hrem'yach (Chernihiv oblast), Znob-Trubchevs'ka, Chernats'ke, Seredyna-Buda, Bachivs'k, Sydorivka, Shpyl', Mykolaivka (Sumy oblast), Hur'yiv Kozachok, Hlyboke, Oliinykove, and Zelene (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at the settlements of Kam'yanka, Krasne Pershne, Novomlyns'k, Lyman Pershyi, Kyslivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast), and Novoselivs'ke (Luhansk oblast).
Lyman axis: Russian forces did not conduct any offensive operations. Terny, Tors'ke, Dibrova, Bilohorivka, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, and Spirne (Donetsk oblast) came under artillery fire.
Bakhmut axis: Russia continues its offensive operations. Heavy battles for the city of Bakhmut continue. In addition, Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive operations towards the settlements of Orikhovo-Vasylivka and Ivanivske during the day of April 26. Vasyukivka, Zaliznyans'ke, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Novomarkove, Hryhorivka, Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske, Predtechyne, Kostyantynivka, Dyliivka, Pivnichne, Pivdenne, and New York (Donetsk oblast) suffered from Russian shelling.
Avdiivka axis: Russian forces attempted offensive operations in the vicinities of Avdiivka, Sjeverne, and Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast), to no success. The Russian invaders shelled the settlements of Novokalynove, Berdychi, Lastochkyne, Avdiivka, Vodyane, Pervomais'ke, Karlivka, and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast).
Mar'inka axis: during the day of April 26, Ukrainian defenders repelled numerous adversary attacks in the vicinity of settlement of Mar'inka. Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Mar'inka, Paraskoviivka, and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast) were shelled by Russian forces.
Shakhtars'ke axis: Russian forces did not conduct any offensive operations during the day of April 26. The invaders shelled the settlements of Bohoyavlenka, Novoukrainka, Shakhtars'ke, Prechystivka, and Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast).
Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russian forces continue to defend. At the same time, the Russian invaders shelled more than 30x settlements during the day of April 26, including Vremivka, Novopil' (Donetsk oblast), Hulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Mala Tokmachka Novoandriivka, Kam'yans'ke (Zaporizhzhia oblast), Beryslav, Kozats'ke, Tokarivka, Antonivka, Bilozerka, Berehove (Kherson oblast), and the city of Kherson.

During the day of April 26, Ukrainian Air Force launched 11x air strikes on the concentrations of Russian troops and military equipment. 1x Russian Supercam reconnaissance UAV was shot down.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that fierce fighting continues in Bakhmut, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are transferring the most trained units to the city, Yevgeny Prigozhin said. He noted that the detachments of PMC "Wagner" are confronted by a large number of foreign mercenaries, Polish speech is increasingly heard. The Wagnerites, despite everything, are ready to continue the offensive in order to grind as many forces of the Ukrainian army as possible and disrupt the enemy's counterattack, the businessman stressed.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the strikes on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Khromovo, Bogdanovka, Krasnoy and Seversk. During the day, aviation conducted 4 sorties in this direction, artillery performed 59 fire missions. An ammunition depot of Ukrainian troops was destroyed in the Vyemka area.

Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, said that the retreat of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Bakhmut would lead to the collapse of the front. He called the city strategically important for Ukrainian defense, adding that this area must be kept.

The situation in other directions

DNR

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the defeat of enemy units in the Ugledar region. At Sladky and Shevchenko, the actions of 2 Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups (DRGs) were stopped. In addition, ammunition depots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and territorial defense were destroyed in the areas of Shevchenko and Dobrovolya.

During the day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine opened fire on Donetsk, as well as the settlements of Vladimirovka, Makeevka and Yasinovataya. In Donetsk, as a result of attacks, a civilian was injured, residential buildings were damaged. In the Kirovsky district, a Ukrainian drone dropped an explosive device, 2 civilians were injured.

LC

Russian units attacked the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Makeevka, Nevsky, Chervona Dibrova. A Ukrainian DRG was destroyed in the Chervonopopovka area.

Ombudsman of the LPR Victoria Serdyukova commented on the words of the adviser to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine Mikhail Podolyak about the "right" of Kyiv to destroy everything that is in the Crimea, LDNR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. Serdyukova described the Ukrainian official's statements as a call for genocide and a violation of international humanitarian law.

Kherson region

In the Kherson direction, up to 30 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 vehicles, and a US-made M777 artillery system were destroyed during the day. In the Lvovo region, the Zoo counter-battery radar station was destroyed. On Veliky Island, 2 command and observation posts of the special operations forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit.

In addition, a Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian troops was shot down by means of air defense in the Veletensky area.

Zaporozhye region

The Ukrainian command is transferring forces to the controlled part of the Zaporozhye region, said Vladimir Rogov, a member of the main council of the regional administration. According to him, reserves are sent to the front line from central Ukraine, including the Poltava and Cherkasy regions.