Russo-Ukraine War - 11 May 2023 - Day 442

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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]

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The UK Ministry of Defence reported that since the start of 2023, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has ramped up a scheme to recruit Russian prisoners to fight in Ukraine. It is likely that up to 10,000 convicts signed up in April 2023 alone.

From summer 2022, prisoners were the key pool of recruits for the Wagner Group private military company's operations in Ukraine. However, the group highly likely lost access to the Russian penal system in February 2023 when its public feud with the MoD was escalating.

The MoD's prisoner recruitment campaign is part of a broader, intense effort by the Russian military to bolster its numbers, while attempting to avoid implementing new mandatory mobilisation, which would be very unpopular with the Russian public.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during this day, Russian forces launched 6x missile attacks, in particular on the cities of Slovyansk, Kostiantynivka and Zaporizhzhia. In addition, they carried out 28x airstrikes and more than 20 rounds from MLRS on the positions of our troops and populated areas. Unfortunately, there are deaths and injuries among the civilian population, private residential buildings, other civil and administrative infrastructure have been damaged.

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

Russia continues to concentrate its main efforts on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mar'yinka axes. During the day, Russian forces carried out more than 30 attacks on the specified areas of the front. The fiercest battles continue for the cities of Bakhmut and Mar'yinka.
Volyn' and Polissya axes: no signs of the formation of offensive groups were found. The Russian Federation continues to use the territory, material and technical base of the republic of belarus for training and combat coordination of units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, formed by mobilization, for their further involvement in hostilities on the territory of our State.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia continues to maintain a military presence in the areas bordering Ukraine.
During the day, Russian forces carried out airstrikes on the areas of Krasnyi Khutir of Chernihiv Oblast and Krenidivka, Znob-Novgorodske, Uralove of Sumy Oblast. They carried out mortar and artillery attacks on the settlements of Novovasylivka, Ukrainy, Iskriskivshchyna, Bilopylla, Yastrubyne, Kindrativka, and Basivka of the Sumy Oblast, as well as Guryiv, Hlyboke, Staritsa, Bugruvatka, Ohirtseve, Gatyshche, Vovchansk, Tyche, Synelnikove, Zybyne, Bochkove, Budarki and Velikiy Burluk in Kharkiv Oblast.
Kupyansk axis: during the day, Russian forces did not conduct offensive operations. The settlements of Odradne, Dvorichanske, Kam'ianka, Topoli, Krasne Pershe, Figolivka, Novomlynsk, Dvorichna, Tabaivka of the Kharkiv Oblast and Stelmakhivka of the Luhansk Oblast were hit by Russian artillery and mortar attacks.
Lyman axis: during the day, Russian forces carried out offensive actions in the Serebryansk forestry area, without any success. They carried out an air strike on the areas of the settlement of Spirne and the settlements bordering the frontline, namely: Makiivka, Nevske of Luhansk Oblast, Belogorivka, Torske, Serebryanka, Verkhnyokamianske, Spirne, Berestov and Vesele of Donetsk Oblast which were subjected to artillery shelling.
Bakhmut axis: Russia continues to advance. Fighting continues in the city of Bakhmut. During the day, they conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in the axis of the settlement of Stupochki. Russians launched an airstrike on the areas of the settlements of Bakhmut, Kurdyumivka and New York. Vasyukivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Novomarkove, Markove, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Chasiv Yar, Kostyantynivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Pivdenne, Toretsk, Severnye and New York of the Donetsk Oblast were affected by Russian shelling.
Avdiivka axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive actions. Shelled the settlements of Novokalynove, Berdychi, Stepove, Avdiivka, Severna and Pervomaiske of the Donetsk Oblast.
Mar'yinka axis: units of the Ukrainian defense forces repelled numerous Russian attacks. At the same time, the settlements of Gostre, Georgiivka, Mar'yinka and Pobyeda of the Donetsk Oblast were subjected to Russian shelling.
Shakhtars'ke axis: during the day, Russian forces carried out offensive actions in the Novomykhailivka area, without success. They carried out an airstrike on the areas of the settlements of Vugledar and Prechistivka. Russians shelled the settlements of Paraskoviivka, Kostyantynivka, Novomykhailivka, Vugledar, Novoukrainka and Prechistivka.
Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russia continues to conduct defensive operations. They launched an airstrike on the areas of the settlements of Mala Tokmachka, Omelnyk and Kizomys. Meanwhile, the Russian invaders carried out shelling of settlements bordering the line of military confrontation. In particular: Vremivka, Novopil', Donetsk Oblast; Olhivske, Gulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Gulyaipilske, Biloghirya, Mala Tokmachka and Kam'ianske of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast; Nikopol', Dnipropetrovsk Oblast; Zolota Balka, Vesele, Lviv, Ivanivka, Antonivka, Dniprovske, Kizomys of the Kherson Oblast and the city of Kherson.

During the day, the Ukrainian Air Force carried out 13x strikes on areas where Russian personnel and military equipment were concentrated. In addition, during this day, Ukrainian defenders destroyed 7x Russian UAVs of various types. Units of missile and artillery troops hit 8x control points, 13x areas of concentration of manpower, 1x ammunition warehouse, 1x fuel and lubricant warehouse, 5x artillery units in a firing position, 1x means of air defense and 2x+ more important Russian targets.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, the attacks, launched aviation and artillery of the Zapad Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of the AFU units close to Dvurechnaya, Timkovka (Kharkov region), and Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic).

The actions of one Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group have been disrupted close to Ivanovka (Kharkov region).

The enemy losses were up to 125 Ukrainian servicemen, four motor vehicles and one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system.

One ordnance depot of the AFU 67nd Mechanised Brigade has been destroyed near Neskuchnoye (Kharkov region).

In Krasny Liman direction, the attacks, launched by Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, as well as artillery of the Tsentr Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of the AFU units close to Nevskoye, Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic), and Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 65 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles and two D-20 and D-30 howitzers.

In Donetsk direction, the assault detachments continue to conduct the offensive against the enemy in the western part of Artyomovsk. The Airborne Troops were supporting the units and restraining Ukrainian military personnel on the flanks.

Russian aviation have made 8 sorties in this area during the day. Artillery of the Yug Group of Forces have performed 95 fire tasks overnight.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Group of Forces have hit the enemy manpower and hardware close to Krasnoye, Kalinovka and Chasov Yar (Donetsk People's Republic's).

The enemy losses were up to 230 Ukrainian servicemen and mercenaries, six motor vehicles, one D-30 howitzer and one U.S.-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar.

One artillery ammunition depot of the AFU 54th Mechanised Brigade has been destroyed near Kramatorsk (Donetsk People's Republic).

In South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, the attacks, launched by aviation and artillery of the Vostok Group of Forces have resulted in the neutralisation of the enemy units close to Ugledar and Prechistovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Malinovka, Gulyai Pole, Novodanilovka and Kamenskoye (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy losses were over 110 Ukrainian servicemen and seven motor vehicles.

One munition depot of the AFU 102th Artillery Brigade has been destroyed near Gulyai Pole (Zaporozhye region).

In Kherson direction, the enemy losses were up to 20 Ukrainian servicemen, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system, one Msta-B howitzer and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system.

In addition, one ammunition depot of the 124th Territorial Defence Brigade was destroyed close to Kherson.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised 96 artillery units of the AFU at their firing positions, manpower and military hardware at 123 areas.

Air defence facilities have shot down one Su-25 airplane of Ukrainian Air Force near Chervony Mayak (Kherson region).

12 HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system projectiles have been also intercepted.

Air defence facilities have shot down 12 Ukrainian UAVs close to Belogorovka (Lugansk People's Republic), Opytnoye, Valerianovka, Novobakhmutovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Rabotino, Chubaryovka, Novoprokofyevka and Chapayevka (Zaporozhye region).

In total, 421 airplanes, 230 helicopters, 4,074 unmanned aerial vehicles, 421 air defence missile systems, 9,069 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,098 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 4,787 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 10,124 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation.