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Russo-Ukraine War - 16 August 2023 - Day 539

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 has almost certainly started to deploy domestically produced one way attack Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (OWA-UAVs) based on Iranian Shahed designs. Russian forces have been importing Iranian-made systems since September 2022.

Indigenous manufacturing will likely allow Russia to establish a more reliable supply of OWA-UAVs. The performance of these weapons has been variable and Ukraine has proved effective in neutralising the majority of incoming OWA-UAVs.

Russia likely aims for self-sufficiency in OWA-UAVs in the coming months. However, in the interim, Russia remains reliant on components and whole weapons from Iran, primarily shipped via the Caspian Sea.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of August 16, Russian forces launched 7x missile, 67x air strikes, and 30x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian terrorist attacks have killed and wounded civilians, including children. Port infrastructure in Odesa oblast as well as residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were damaged.

Today Ukrainian air defense has intercepted 2x Kh-59 cruise missiles and 13 Russian Shahed-136/131 UAVs.

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

During the day of August 16, there were more than 15x combat engagements.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the Russian invaders fired mortars and artillery at more than 15x settlements, including Tymonovychi, Bleshnya (Chernihiv oblast), Shalyhyne, Popivka, Myropillya (Sumy oblast), Odnorobivka, Stohnii, Udy, Zelene, Hatyshche (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensives in the vicinity of Sen'kivka (Kharkiv oblast). The settlements of Vil'shana, Petropavlivka, Cherneshchyna (Kharkiv oblast) came under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Lyman axis: more than 20x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Dibrova, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Sivers'k, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Sviato-Pokrovske, Vyimka (Donetsk oblast) suffered from Russian artillery shelling.
Bakhmut axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive operations in the vicinity of Bohdanivka (Donetsk oblast). More than 15x settlements, including Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Hryhorivka, Bohdanivka, Kalynivka, Ivanivske, Stupochky (Donetsk oblast), suffered from Russian artillery shelling.
Avdiivka axis: under heavy fire from Russian aircraft and artillery, Ukrainian defenders continue to hold back the Russian offensive near Avdiivka (Donetsk oblast). The invaders fired artillery at more than 10x settlements, including Oleksandropil', Novokalynove, Avdiivka, Sjeverne, Pervomais'ke, Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast).
Mar'inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the Russian offensive in the vicinity of the city of Mar'inka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). The Russian invaders fired artillery at more than 10x settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Mar'inka, Novomykhailivka, Kostyantynivka, Katerynivka, Kurakhove (Donetsk oblast).
Shakhtars'ke axis: Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Urozhaine and Blahodatne (Donetsk oblast). The Russian invaders fired artillery at more than 10x settlements, including Vodyane Bohoyavlenka, Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Velyka Novosilka, Urozhaine, Blahodatne (Donetsk oblast).
Zaporizhzhia axis: more than 20x settlements suffered from Russian artillery shelling, including Charivne, Huliaipilske, Omel'nyk, Novoandriivka, Mali Shcherbaky, P'yatykhatky (Zaporizhzhia oblast).
Kherson axis: Russian forces fired artillery at more than 10x settlements, including Khreshchenivka, Novodmytrivka, Mykolaivka, Sadove, Zelenivka (Kherson oblast) and the city of Kherson.

At the same time, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to conduct the offensive operation on Melitopol' and Berdyans'k axes, consolidating their positions, and conducting counter-battery fire.

During the day of August 16, Ukrainian Air Force launched 9x air strikes on the concentrations of troops, weapons, and military equipment and 1x air strike on anti-aircraft missile system of the Russian forces.

During the day of August 16, the Ukrainian missile and artillery troops hit 1x anti-aircraft missiles system of the Russian forces.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in the Kupyansk direction, the assault detachments of the Zapad Group of Forces carried out offensive actions in the assigned areas of responsibility and improved the situation along the front line.

With the support of aviation and artillery fire, nine attacks by assault groups of the 14th, 32nd, 44th mechanised and 95th Air Assault Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were repelled close to Novoselovskoye and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People's Republic), Olshana and Sinkovka (Kharkov region). The enemy losses were up to 85 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, four pick-up trucks, as well as self-propelled artillery systems: one U.S.-made M109 Paladin and one Polish-made Krab guns.

In the Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces, in close co-operation with aviation and artillery, repelled five attacks by Ukrainian Armed Forces near Krasnogorovka and Nevelskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

In addition, an ammunition depot of the 24th Mechanised Brigade of the AFU was destroyed near the town of Toretsk (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy's losses in this direction amounted to up to 250 Ukrainian troops, three infantry fighting vehicles, four vehicles, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, two D-20 howitzers, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station.

In Krasny Liman direction, professional actions of the Tsentr Group of Forces, strikes by army aviation and artillery fire repelled an attack by assault groups of the 67th Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Kuzmino (Lugansk People's Republic). Up to 55 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer were destroyed.

In South Donetsk direction, the Vostok Group of Forces, air strikes, artillery fire, and heavy flamethrowers inflicted a combined strike on the enemy near Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy's losses amounted to over 140 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, three armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, as well as an American-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system during the day.

In Zaporozhye direction, the Russian grouping of forces, supported by army aviation and artillery, repelled two attacks by assault units of the 82nd Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces close to Rabotino and Verbovoye (Zaporozhye region).

In addition, two ammunition depots of the 117th Mechanised Brigade of the AFU close to Kirovo (Zaporozhye region) were hit. During the day, the enemy's losses were up to 170 Ukrainian troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, and one U.S.-made M777 artillery system.

Up to 35 Ukrainian servicemen, as well as five motor vehicles, were destroyed as a result of fire in Kherson direction during the day.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Group of Forces have engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 143 areas during the day.

In addition, an ST-68 radar station for the detection, identification, and tracking of aerial targets was destroyed close to Pervomaiskoye (Nikolayev region).

A command post of the AFU 72nd Mechanised Brigade was eliminated close to Paraskoveyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Air defence systems have shot down one Su-25 airplane of Ukrainian Air Force near Novotroitskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

In addition, four HIMARS and two Uragan projectiles have been intercepted during the day.

Moreover, 26 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been downed close to Tavolzhanka, Tokarevka (Kharkov region), Severodonetsk, Lisichansk, Svatovo (Lugansk People's Republic), Spornoye, Volnovakha, Gorlovka, and Makeyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

In total, 459 airplanes and 246 helicopters, 5,787 unmanned aerial vehicles, 431 air defence missile systems, 11,330 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,144 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 5,901 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 12,267 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.