Russo-Ukraine War - 28 May 2023 - Day 459

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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 in recent weeks, the tone of public debate in Russia has moved beyond merely punishing those who criticise the "Special Military Operation' towards mandating citizens to actively make sacrifices in support of the war effort.

Russian state-backed media and business groups have petittioned tehEconomic Ministry to authorise a six-day week for workers in the face of the economic demands of the war, apparently without additional pay. On 21 May 2023, leading Russian propagandist Margarita Simonyan mooted that citizens should work for two extra hours in munitions factories each day, after their regular jobs.

The evolving tone of the conversations clearly echoes a Soviet-style sense of societal compulsion. It also highlights how the leadership highly identifies economic performance as a decisive factor in winning the war.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that, at night, the Russian Federation struck another massovano strike on the territory of Ukraine, using Iranian strikes bpla "Shahed", 58 of 59 were destroyed by Ukrainian defenders.

In total, during this day, Russian forces carried out 91 air strikes and fired about 25 bombardment jets at Ukrainian military positions and settlements.

The probability of missile and air strikes across Ukraine continues to remain high.

Russia continues to focus main efforts on attempts to capture the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. During the day, the defense forces units repelled 18 Russian attacks.
In the Volyn and Polísʹkomu directions, the operational environment remains stable, no signs of the formation of offensive groups have been detected.
The Russian opponent continues to maintain a military presence in the Síversʹkomu and Slobožansʹkomu directions. During the day, it made aviation strikes in the areas of kíndratívka, basívka, mogrytsia, miropillâ and slavgorod of sumy region and pletenívka and vovchanskih farms of kharkiv region. Russian forces carried out mortar and artillery shelling of the settlements of karpovičí, timonovičí, iron bridge, ants of chernihiv region; Novovasilivka, middle-buda, progress, demyanivka, manuhívka sumy region, and liptsi, gatishche, pletenivka, vovchansk, little wolf and budarki in kharkiv region.
In the Kupyan direction, Russian forces during the day led unsuccessful offensive actions in the area of Masyutivka Kharkiv region. Made an avíacíjnogo strike in the area of kislivki kharkiv region. Russian forces artillery and mortar shellings were suffered by Kolodâzne, Red First, Figolívka, Novomlinsk, Dvorichna, Western, Mas веtívka, Kislivka, Brestove Kharkiv region.
In the Limansky direction during the day, the Russian opponent did not conduct offensive actions. He made aviation strikes in the areas of Yagidne Kharkiv region; Sergiyivka, Belogorivka Luhansk region; Ivanivka, Spirne, Rai-Oleksandrivka, Merry Donetsk region. Artillery shelling suffered nevske, bílogorívka lugansk region; torsk, verkhnyokamianske and spírne of donetsk region.
In the Bakhmutsky direction, during the day, Russian forces led unsuccessful offensive actions northeast of Orikhovo-Vasilivka and towards Ivanivsky. They made air strikes in the areas of the settlements of Pretecine, White Mountain, Kurdyumivka, New York, Yablunivka Donetsk region. Vasylívka, Privilege, Oríhovo-Vasilivka, Grigorívka, Bogdanivka, Times Yar, Ivanívske, Stupočki, Predtecine, Konstantinivka and Northern Donetsk region were affected by Russian shelling.
In the Avdiiv direction, the Russian opponent did not carry out offensive actions.
I've made aviacíjnih strikes in the areas of avdííí хvka, water, pervomajsʹkogo. They carried out artillery shelling of the settlements of Avdiivka, Pervomaisk, Karlovka of Donetsk region.
In the Maryinsʹkomu direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 12 Russian attacks in the area of the city of Maryinka. Russian forces caused an avíacíjnogo strike in the area of marí ційnki. In addition, the Victory of Donetsk region suffered Russian shelling.
In the Shakhtarsʹkomu direction, Russian forces caused an avíacíjnogo strike in the area of vugledara. He shelled the settlements Paraskovíivka, Novomykhaylivka, Vugledar, Novoukraí ,nka, Prechistivka and Shakhtarske.
The Russian opponent continues to conduct defensive actions on Zaporizhzhya and Kherson directions. He shelling the settlements of Vremivka, Novopil Donetsk region; Olgivske, Gulyaypole, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, Orikhiv, Novoandriivka, Mali Cherbaki and Stepnogrisk of Zaporizhzhia region; Golden Beam, Mikhailivka, Vesele, Kozatske, Nikolaevka, Lvivka, Ivanivka, Antonivka, Dniprovsk, Kizomis Kherson region and the city.

About 80 people deserted in Lysychansk Luhansk region from the unit "Storm-Z" of Russian occupation troops. They left the combat positions voluntarily. Also, in the Bakhmut area, about 30 people from the Wagner PVC were deserted, who also voluntarily left the combat positions, stealing military equipment.

Forced pasportizacíâ of citizens of Ukraine in the Nizhnyosírogozky district of the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson region is underway. In particular, Russian occupants are constantly putting pressure on locals, threatening deportation and confiscation of property. Yes, local citizens with a Ukrainian passport, a driver's license and a technical vehicle passport are threatened with confiscation if they refuse to obtain Russian model documents.

The Defense Forces aviation struck 13 strikes per day in the areas of the focus of the Russian forces' personnel and military equipment, as well as 2 on the anti-aircraft missile complexes. Missile troops and artillery units struck 3 arms and military equipment focus areas, C-300 anti-missile complex, 3 control points and Russian ammunition depot.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, active actions by units and artillery fire of the Zapad Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on enemy manpower and hardware close to Pershotravnevoye, Dvurechnaya, and Timkovka (Kharkov region), Novoselovskoye and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People's Republic).

In addition, actions of two sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been thwarted near Liman Pervyi and Berestovoye (Kharkov region). The enemy's losses have amounted to over 30 Ukrainian troops, an armoured vehicle, and two pick-up trucks in this direction during the day.

Moreover, ammunition depots of the 119st Territorial Defence Brigade and Foreign Legion were annihilated Zalizny Mos (Chernigov region) and Zhovtnevoye (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 Torskoye, Terny (Donetsk People's Republic), Nevskoye and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic), and the Serebryansky forestry.

Over the past 24 hours, up to 65 Ukrainian troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, two motor vehicles, Msta-B and D-20 howitzers, and one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system have been neutralised in this direction.

In Donetsk direction, units, aviation, and artillery of the Yug Group of Forces have eliminated up to 340 Ukrainian troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, and one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system during the day.

Ammunition depots of the 79th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Liman Task Force have been hit close to Georgiyevka and Kramatorsk (Donetsk People's Republic).

In South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, aviation and artillery of the Vostok Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on the AFU units close to Novoandreyevka, Novodanilovka, Chervonoye (Zaporozhye region), and Vodyanoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

In these direction, the enemy has suffered losses of over 100 Ukrainian troops, and four motor vehicles during the day.

One U.S.-manufactured AN/TPQ-37 counterbattery warfare radar has been destroyed near Novouspenovskoye (Zaporozhye region). ?? Moreover, an ammunition depot of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was destroyed close to Stepovoye (Zaporozhye region).

In Kherson direction, up to 10 Ukrainian troops, three pick-up trucks, and one Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer have been neutralised over the past 24 hours.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, and artillery of the Russian Group of Forces have engaged 89 AFU artillery units, manpower and hardware in 156 areas during the day.

Command and observation posts of the 24th and 65th mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been eliminated close to Toretsk (Donetsk People's Republic) and Novoandreyevka (Zaporozhye region). A temporary deployment point of a foreign mercenaries Bogodukhov (Kharkov Region) has been hit.

Air defence forces have intercepted three Storm Shadow cruise missiles and six HIMARS MLRS projectiles during the day.

Moreover, four Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down close to Zhovtnevoye (Kharkov region), Kopani (Zaporozhye region) and Slavnoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

In total, 429 airplanes and 235 helicopters, 4,357 unmanned aerial vehicles, 424 air defence missile systems, 9,322 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,100 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 4,924 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 10,506 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.