Russo-Ukraine War - 07 May 2023 - Day 438

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 Russia is almost certainly facing its worst labour shortage in decades. The Russian Central Bank surveyed 14,000 employers and found that the number of available employees was at its lowest level since 1998.

Over the last three years, Russia's population has reportedly decreased by two million more people than expected due to the impacts of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine. Russia saw up to 1.3 million people leave the country in 2022, including many younger and well-educated people in high-value industries. The Russian Ministry of Communications said that about 10% (100,000) of the IT workforce left the country in 2022 and did not return.

Mobilisation, historically high emigration, and an ageing and shrinking population is limiting the labour supply.

This will likely lead to a reduction in the potential growth of the Russian economy and risks stoking inflation.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during this day, Russian forces launched 8 missile strikes, including 2 C-300 missiles hitting a civilian company in Balaklia, Kharkiv region, injuring 5 civilians. In addition, 5 Russian X-22 missiles were launched by the occupants at civilian objects of the Mykolaiv region and one X-22 missile in Kherson region, without losses. Also, Russian forces launched 22 air strikes and carried out more than 10 shelling from jet fire systems on the positions of Ukrainian troops and Nikopol of Dnipropetrovsk region. Unfortunately, there are killed and wounded among civilians, damaged high-rise building, private dwellings and other civilian infrastructures.

The probability of missile and air strikes across Ukraine remains high.

Russian forces continue to focus the main efforts in the limansʹkomu, bakhmutsʹkomu and avdiívsʹkomu directions. Heavy battles for the cities of bahmut and marínka. In total, during the day Russian forces carried out 39 attacks.
There are no significant changes in Volyn and Polísʹkomu directions.
In the síversʹkomu and slobožansʹkomu directions, Russian forces attacked the areas of the settlements of zaríččâ, leonívka and kostobobrív of chernihiv region. He carried out mortar and artillery shelling of the settlements of Zarichchya, Orlykivka, Flea, Iron Bridge, Archipivka, Leonivka, Buchki of Chernihiv region; Middle-Buda, Vorozhba and Iskriskiv region of Sumy region, as well as Udy, Vovchansk, Pletenivka, Bochkove, Mala Vovcha, Nesterne and Stroívka in Kharkiv region.
In the Kupyan direction, Russian forces did not carry out offensive actions. Made an aviation strike in the area of grânykívka. Artillery and mortar shelling of Russian forces were suffered by Figolivka, Novomlinsk, Liman First, Brestove Kharkiv region; Novoselivsk, Stelmakhivka Luhansk region.
In the Limansky direction during the day, Russian forces did not conduct offensive actions. They launched air strikes near the settlements of Belogorivka Luhansk region and Spirne in Donetsk region. Artillery shelling was experienced by Makiivka and Nevsky of Luhansk region and Bílogorivka and Spirne of Donetsk region.
In the Bakhmutsʹkomu direction, Russian forces continue to lead offensive actions.
Battles continue in the city of Bakhmut, Russian forces fire at the city with incendiary and phosphorous ammunition. During the day, Russia was leading unsuccessful offensive actions towards Khromovogo, Ivanivsky, Time Gap and Stupočok. He made air strikes in the areas of Bakhmut, Bogdanívka, Kurdymivka and New York. Zaliznyanske, Orihovo-Vasilivka, Novomarkove, Markove, Bakhmut, Ivanívske, Chasiv Yar, Stupočki, Alexander-Shultine and Leonidivka of Donetsk region were affected by Russian shelling.
In the Avdiivka direction, Russian forces carried out offensive actions in the areas of Avdiivka and Pervomaiskogo, had no success. They shelled the settlements of Berdychi, Avdiivka, Vodyane, Pervomaisk, Nevelske, Netaylov, Karlovka and Gostre of Donetsk region.
In the Maryinsky direction, Russia continues to attack the positions of the defense forces. The battles for Maryinka continue. At the same time, Georgiyevka, Krasnogorivka, Maryinka and Pobeda of Donetsk region suffered Russian shelling.
In the Shakhtar direction during the day, Russian forces did not conduct offensive actions. They fired novomihajlívku, Élizavetívku, vugledar, prečistívku, zolotu niva, novoukraí хайnku, shahtarsk and great novosílku of donetsk region.
The opponent continues to conduct defensive actions on Zaporizhzhya and Kherson directions. They have attacked the areas of the settlements of vremívka donetsk region and novodanilívka zaporizhzhia region. Meanwhile, they shelled over 45 settlements. In particular, this is Zaliznične, Gulyajpilsʹke, Bilogirâ, Mala Tokmachka, Kamyan Zaporizhzhya region; Golden Beam, Merry, Antonivka, Zelenivka, Kizomis Kherson region and the city of Kherson.

Russian occupants continue to remove looted property from frontier settlements temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia region under the pretext of evacuation of civilians. Yes, in Mikhailivka, the evacuation of the entire property together with staff of hostile financial institutions on cars stolen from locals was recorded. Also, 15 buses arrived in Dnipro to evacuate representatives of the Russian occupation administration and the so-called "people's militia" together with their families. Soldiers of Russian occupation troops massively rob shops with orgtehníko ж and kidnap cars.

The Defense Forces aviation carried out 6 strikes in the areas of the focus of the Russian forces' personnel and military equipment, as well as a strike on the Russian forces' anti-aircraft missile complex in a day.
Missile and artillery units struck 2 control points, 2 arms and Russian military equipment focus areas, as well as 3 Russian ammunition warehouses.

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 (AFU) close to Tabayevka, Timkovka, Pershotravnevoye, Novomlynsk, and Dvurechnaya (Kharkov region).

In addition, Russian troops disrupted actions of four Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups near Sinkovka, Kislovka (Kharkov region) and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People's Republic).

More than 85 Ukrainian servicemen, one armoured fighting vehicle, and one D-30 howitzer have been destroyed during the day in this direction.

An ammunition depot belonging to the Right Sector, a Ukrainian terrorist organisation, has been destroyed near Liptsy (kharkov region).

In Krasny Liman direction, Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery of the Tsentr Group of Forces have inflicted fire damage on enemy units close to Terny, Yampolovka, Yampol, and Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova and Nevskoye (Lugansk People's Republic).

The enemy has suffered losses of up to 75 Ukrainian troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, one Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer, and one D-20 howitzer in this direction in the past 24 hours.

In Donetsk direction, assault detachments continue offensive actions and have seized two blocks in the north-western and western parts of Artyomovsk. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery of the Yug Group of Forces have the units of the 57th Motorised Infantry and 80th Air Assault Brigades near Bogdanovka and Stupochki (Donetsk People's Republic).

Four sorties were carried out by aircraft in the area during the past 24 hours. The artillery have performed 64 fire tasks overnight. Airborne Troops isolate the enemy on the flanks and support the action of the assault troops to take control over the city.

More than 340 Ukrainian servicemen and mercenaries, two armoured fighting vehicles, eight motor vehicles, and one D-20 howitzer have been eliminated during the day in this direction. In addition, two U.S.-made counterbattery radar stations have been destroyed near Novgorodskoye and Artyomovo (Donetsk People's Republic).

In South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems of the Vostok Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on the AFU units close to Ugledar, Pavlovka, and Nikolskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), and Dorozhnyanka (Zaporozhye region).

Actions of a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group were foiled close to Levadnoye (Zaporozhye region).

Up to 55 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, one motor vehicle, and Msta-B and D-30 howitzers have been neutralised in these directions during the day. A U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 counterbattery radar station was destroyed near Maksimilyanovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

In Kherson direction, up to 40 Ukrainian troops and five motor vehicles have been destroyed by enemy fire.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Group of Forces have engaged 98 AFU artillery units, manpower, and hardware in 119 areas during the day.

The command post of the 124th Territorial Defence Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was hit near Kherson.

A communication centre of the 81st Airmobile Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been hit close to Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic).

In addition, the command and control posts of a battalion of the 110th Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Avdeevka (Donetsk People's Republic), as well as the Ukrainian Special Operations Force Yug Centre on Velykyy Island (Kherson region), were hit.

During the night 22 Ukrainian strike drones were detected over the Black Sea by air defence systems. All the Ukrainian UAVs have been downed by anti-aircraft fire or suppressed by electronic warfare.

Also in the past 24 hours, air defence systems have intercepted five HIMARS projectiles, a Grom-2 operational-tactical missile, and one Tochka-U tactical missile.

Moreover, 10 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down close to Tavolzhanka (Kharkov region), Donetsk, Grishino (Donetsk People's Republic), Kremennaya, Svatovo (Lugansk People's Republic), Rabotino, Ilchenkovo (Zaporozhye region).

In total, 418 airplanes and 230 helicopters, 4,027 unmanned aerial vehicles, 421 air defence missile systems, 9,014 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,096 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 4,754 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 10,037 pieces of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.