Russo-Ukraine War - 29 May 2023 - Day 460

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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 on 24 May 2023, Russia conducted a security exercise around the Crimea Bridge, which links the Russian city of Kerch to the occupied peninsula. This included the creation of a smoke screen, partially masking the bridge.

The smoke screen was laid by TDA-3 truck-mounted smoke generators, likely of the 28th Brigade of Russia's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops.

Russian doctrine considers the use of smoke part of maskirovka (camouflage and deception) - upon which it places strong emphasis. However, in practice, Russian maskirovka has generally been ineffectual in the Ukraine war, likely because of a lack of a strong central planning function and poor low-level battle discipline.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of May 29th, the Russian Federation carried out two massive air and missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine. At night, the Russian enemy launched Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles and Iran-made "Shahed-136/131" UAVs. According to the updated information Ukrainian Defense Forces intercepted 36x out of 40x Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles and 30x out of 38x Shahed-136/131 UAVs.

The Russian forces used cruise and "Iskander" ballistic missiles on Kyiv. 11x out of 11x missiles were intercepted by Ukrainian air defence systems.

In general, Russian forces carried out 53x air strikes and launched about 20x MLRS attacks on Ukrainian settlements and Ukrainian Defense Forces. Unfortunately, the attacks caused casualties among civilian population, and damage to private houses, as well as to other civilian and administrative infrastructure.

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

Russia continues to focus on further attempts to occupy Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts of Ukraine. During the day, Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled 20x Russian attacks.
Volyn' and Polissya axes: the operational situation has not changed significantly, there are no signs of the formation of offensive groupings.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia continues to maintain enhanced military presence in the areas bordering Ukraine. The Russian adversary carried out an airstrike in the vicinities if Milovo (Kharkiv oblast); carried out mortar and artillery shelling of Seredyna-Buda, Pavlivka, Katerynivka, Shevchenkive, and Velyka Pisarivka (Sumy oblast); as well as Udy, Strilecha, Hlyboke, Morokhovets', Ternova, Izbyts'ke, Starytsia, Hatyshche, Vovchans'k, Pletenivka, Tyche, Vovchans'ki Khutory, Mala Vovcha, Varvarivka, Budarka, Zemlyanka, and Chugunivka (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces attempted unsuccessful offensive operations in the vicinities of Masyutivka (Kharkiv oblast) during the day. Kolodyazne, Kam'yanka, Krasne Pershe, Novomlyns'k, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Masyutivka, Petropavlivka, Kucherivka, Kislivka, Hlushkivka, Berestovka, and Bohuslavka (Kharkiv oblast) came under artillery and mortar fire.
Lyman axis: Russian forces did not conduct offensive operations. They carried out air strikes in the vicinities of Biloghorivka (Luhansk oblast); and Spirne (Donetsk oblast).
Nevs'ke, Dibrova and Biloghorivka (Luhansk oblast) and Spirne (Donetsk oblast) were subjects to artillery fire.
Bakhmut axis: the Russian forces did not conduct offensive operations. They carried out an air strike in the vicinities of Torets'k (Donetsk oblast). Vasyukivka, Kramators'k, Tikhonivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar, Ivanovs'ke, Predtechine, Bila Hora, Zalizne, and New York (Donetsk oblast) came under fire.
Avdiivka axis: the Russian adversary did not conduct offensive operations. Russian forces carried out air strikes in the vicinities of Avdiivka and Vodyane (Donetsk oblast). They also shelled Novokalynove, Avdiivka, Pervomais'ke, and Karlivka (Donetsk oblast).
Mar'inka axis: Ukrainian Defenders repelled 12x Russian assaults in the vicinities of Mar'inka. The Russian occupiers launched an air strike near the Heorghiivka. At the same time, Mar'inka and Heorghiivka (Donetsk oblast) came under enemy fire.
Shakhtars'ke axis: Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Vuhledar and Prechistivka. Russian forces shelled Paraskoviivka, Novomykhailivka, Vuhledar, Novoukrainka, Prechistivka, and Shakhtars'ke.
Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russian forces stayed on the defensive. They carried out air strikes on Hulyaipole and Mala Tokmachka (Zaporizhzhia oblast).
Moreover, the Russian occupiers shelled Vremivka, Zelene Pole and Novopil' (Donetsk oblast); Ol'hivs'ke, Hulyaipole, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, Orihiv, Novoandriivka, and Stepnogirs'k (Zaporizhia oblast); Kachkarivka, Mylove, Kozats'ke, Burgunka, L'viv, Ivanivka, Antonivka, Komysany, Dniprov'ske, and Kizomys (Kherson oblast); and the city of Kherson.

The Russian occupiers continue to rob civilian population. As such, the Russian military steal harvesters, trucks and other expensive equipment from the farms in the temporarily occupied Svatove (Luhansk oblast) abandoned by their owners who fled from Russians.

Ukrainian Air Force conducted 15x strikes on concentrations of Russian troops and military equipment. Ukrainian missile and artillery troops hit 3x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment; 1x ammunition depot, 3x anti-aircraft systems; and 3x more important Russian targets.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Russian Armed Forces launched a long-range air-based high-precision weaponry strike against the enemy targets at the airfields.

The goal of the attack has been reached. All the assigned targets have been neutralised.

As a result of the strike, the AFU command posts and radar stations, as well as aircraft, and munition depots have been hit.

In Kupyansk direction, the attacks, launched by aviation, as well as the artillery of the Zapad Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of the enemy units close to Novomlynsk, Kislovka, Glushkovka (Kharkov region), and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People's Republic).

The actions of two Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups have been suppressed close to Sinkovka (Kharkov region), and Rozovka (Lugansk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 65 Ukrainian servicemen, three motor vehicles and D-20 and D-30 howitzers.

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 Makeevka, Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic) and Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 55 Ukrainian servicemen, two pickup trucks, one D-20 howitzer and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system.

In Donetsk direction, as a result of intensive action of the units, air strikes and artillery fire of the Yug Group of Forces, the enemy losses were up to 145 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, two pickup trucks, and one D-30 howitzer.

One U.S.-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counterbattery warfare radar has been destroyed near Orlovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Two ammunition depots of the AFU 79th Airborne Assault Brigade have been destroyed close to Maksimilyanovka (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 (Donetsk People's Republic), Malinovka, Belogorye, and Kamenskoye (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy losses were up to 140 Ukrainian servicemen, 10 motor vehicles and two D-30 howitzers.
One AFU ammunition depot has been destroyed near Otradnoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

In Kherson direction, the enemy losses were up to 20 Ukrainian servicemen, three pickup trucks, one D-30 howitzer and two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, and Artillery of the Russian Group of Forces have engaged 87 AFU artillery units, manpower, and hardware in 124 areas during the day.

One hangar with weapons and military equipment of the 126th Territorial Defence Brigade has been hit near Berislav (Kherson region).

In addition, a command and observation post and a missile and artillery weapon depot of the AFU 110th Mechanised Brigade have been hit close to Avdeevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Air defence have intercepted three Storm Shadow cruise missiles and 13 HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system projectiles.

Moreover,14 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down close to Verkhnekamenka, Novodruzhesk, Pshenichnoye (Lugansk People's Republic), Yasnoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Vasilyevka, Lyubimovka and Kostantinovka (Zaporozhye region).

In total, 429 airplanes, 235 helicopters, 4,371 unmanned aerial vehicles, 424 air defence missile systems, 9,324 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,100 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 4,934 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 10,527 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation.