Russo-Ukraine War - 04 May 2023 - Day 435

Su	M	Tu	W	Th	F	Sa
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30

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 3 May 2023 a fire broke out at a Russian fuel depot in Volna on the Russian mainland side of the Kerch Strait, close to the Crimean bridge. It was initiated by a suspected drone strike.

This follows a pattern of Russian fuel storage sites being damaged since the start of the year, with fuel depots in occupied Ukraine and the Russia-Ukraine border regions remaining particularly vulnerable to attack.

The disruption to the fuel storage and distribution network will likely force adjustments to Russia's military refuelling operations to mitigate targeting.

Russian adjustments could include deploying additional protection measures at fuel storage sites, as seen in Tuaspe in Russia, or relying on infrastructure in less threatened regions.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the night, the Russian Federation made another massive attack on the territory of Ukraine, using Iranian strike UAVs "Shahed-136/131", 18x out of 24x were destroyed by Ukrainian defenders.

Russian forces launched 6x missile strikes on the cities of Kramatorsk and Zaporizhzhia, carried out 66x airstrikes and launched 33x rounds from MLRS on the positions of Ukrainian troops and populated areas. Unfortunately, there are deaths and injuries among the civilian population, private residential buildings, educational institutions and other civilian infrastructure have been destroyed and damaged.

The threat of launching missile and air strikes on the entire territory of Ukraine remains high.

Russia continues to focus its main efforts on conducting offensive actions on the Lyman, Bakhmut, and Mar'yinka axes - about 50x Russian attacks were repelled. The fiercest battles continue for Bakhmut and Mar'yinka.
Volyn' and Polissya axes: no signs of the formation of Russian offensive groups were detected.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russian forces carried out artillery and mortar attacks on the settlements of Yeline, Mykolaivka, Ivanivka, Buchki, Gremyach of the Chernihiv Oblast; Uralove, Porokhon, Studenok, Shalygine, Rivne and Boyaro-Lezhachi, Stukalyvka, Bilopillya, Oleksiivka, Yunakivka and Slavhorod of the Sumy Oblast, as well as Hlyboke, Vesele, Vovchanski Khutory, Karaichne, Bochkove and Budarky in the Kharkiv Oblast. Private houses were destroyed and damaged. There are wounded among the civilian population.
Kupyansk axis: Russian forces did not conduct offensive operations. The settlements of Kam'ianka, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Liman Pershiy, Kislivka, Krokhmalne, and Berestov of the Kharkiv Oblast were hit by artillery and mortar attacks.
Lyman axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in the area of the southwestern outskirts of Spirnyi. Makiivka, Andriivka, Grekivka, Dibrova, Bilogorivka of the Luhansk Oblast were hit by artillery fire, as well as Torske, Verkhnokamyanske, Spirne of the Donetsk Oblast.
Bakhmut axis: fighting continues in the city of Bakhmut. In addition during the day, Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in the vicinities of Bohdanivka and Markove. Nikiforivka, Vasyukivka, Novomarkove, Markove, Hryhorivka, Bohdanivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Chasiv Yar, Diliivka, Zalizne, and New York of the Donetsk Oblast were affected by Russian shelling.
Avdiivka axis: Russian forces did not conduct any offensive operations. Fired at Avdiivka, Pervomaiske, Netaylovye and Karlivka in the Donetsk Oblast.
Mar'yinka axis: Russian forces are trying to improve their tactical position. Numerous Russian attacks in the Mar'yinka area were repelled. At the same time, Krasnohorivka, Pobyeda and Novomykhailivka of the Donetsk Oblast got under Russian fire.
Shakhtars'ke axis: Russian forces shelled Vugledar, Novoukrainka, Prechistivka and Shakhtars'ke in the Donetsk Oblast.
Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russia continues to conduct defensive operations. More than 50x settlements were shelled. Among them are Vremivka, Novosilka and Novopil' of the Donetsk Oblast; Gulyaipole, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, and Orihiv, Zaporizhzhia Oblast; Nikopol', Dnipropetrovsk Oblast; Dudchany, Zmiivka, Ivanivka, Dniprovske, Kizomys of the Kherson Oblast and the city of Kherson.

Russian occupying forces continue to suffer heavy losses on the battlefield. All medical facilities in the temporarily occupied territory are full of wounded Russian occupiers. As a result, Russia continues to equip civilian educational institutions as medical institutions. For example, in the village of Myrne, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the Russian occupiers are converting the sports hall of the local school into a military hospital. At the same time, the Russians force the teaching staff to continue the educational process with compulsory school attendance by children.

Aviation of the Defense Forces per day conducted 6x strikes on areas of concentration of Russian personnel. In addition, during this day, 4x barrage munition "Lancet" were destroyed. Missile and artillery troops hit 5x Russian areas of concentration of manpower, 2x Russian ammunition depots and 1x electronic warfare station.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that In Kupyansk direction, Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery of the Zapad Group of Forces have engaged the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Novoselovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic), Pershotravnevoye and Novomlynsk (Kharkov region).

In addition, actions of six sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were thwarted near Stelmakhovka (Kharkov region), Kislovka, Sinkovka, Timkovka, and Ivanovka (Lugansk People's Republic).

Up to 30 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery unit have been eliminated in this direction during the day.

Moreover, an ammunition depot of the 67th Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was destroyed close to Volchansk (Kharkov region).

In Krasny Liman direction, Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery of the Tsentr Group of Forces engaged the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Terny, Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic), and Nevskoye and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).

In the past 24 hours, the enemy has lost up to 70 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two infantry fighting vehicles, two pick-up trucks, and one Msta-B howitzer.

In Donetsk direction, the assault detachments have seized two blocks and continue fighting in the west part of the city of Artyomovsk.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery of the Yug Group of Forces have inflicted fire damage on the 60th, 93rd mechanised brigades, and 54th Motorised Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Krasnoye, south-western outskirts of Artyomovsk, and Grogorovka.

Over the past 24 hours, aircraft flew six sorties, and the Group's artillery carried out 57 firing missions in this area.

Airborne Troops have been impeding the attempts of the enemy to counterattack on the flanks.

Up to 255 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, six motor vehicles, two D-20 howitzers, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery unit have been eliminated in this direction during the day.

Moreover, an ammunition depot of the 54th Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been hit close to Belogorovka.

In South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Vostok Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on AFU units close Ugledar, Vodyanoye, Velikaya Novoselka (Donetsk People's Republic), and Chervonoye, Kamenskoye, Novodanilovka, and Malaya Tolokmachka (Zaporozhye region)

Up to 30 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, two D-30 howitzers, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery unit have been eliminated in this direction during the day.

In Kherson direction, up to 35 Ukrainian troops, six motor vehicles, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and two D-30 and Msta-B howitzers have been destroyed over the past 24 hours.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Group of Forces have engaged 103 AFU artillery units at their fire positions, manpower, and military hardware in 118 areas during the day.

Command and observation posts of AFU the 128th Mountain Assault, 54th Mechanised brigades, the AFU Yug Special Forces Centre near Novoandreevka (Zaporozhye region), Belogorovka (Lugansk People's Republic), and Nestryga Island (Kherson region) have been neutralised.

An ammunition depot of the 66th Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been hit close to Slavyansk (Donetsk People's Republic).

A fuel storage facility for Ukrainian force grouping was destroyed near Kirvograd.

Air defence forces have intercepted 9 HIMARS, Uragan, and Smerch MLRS projectiles during the day.

Moreover, 14 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down close to Novoprokofyevka (Zaporozhye region), Lyubovka, Kamenka, Lebyazhye, Kirillovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Lisichansk, Krivosheevka, and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).

In total, 416 airplanes and 230 helicopters, 3,949 unmanned aerial vehicles, 421 air defence missile systems, 8,967 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,095 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 4,728 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 9,949 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.