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Russo-Ukraine War - 22 August 2023 - Day 545

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 on 19 August 2023, a Tu-22M3 BACKFIRE medium bomber of Russia's Long Range Aviation (LRA) was highly likely destroyed at Soltsky-2 Airbase in Novgorod Oblast, 650 km away from Ukraine's border. The Russian Defence Ministry said that a copter-style uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) was responsible for the attack.

If true, this adds weight to the assessment that some UAV attacks against Russian military targets are being launched from inside Russian territory. Copter UAVs are unlikely to have the range to reach Soltsky-2 from outside Russia.

Russia has frequently used BACKFIRE bombers to launch the notoriously inaccurate AS-4 KITCHEN heavy anti-ship missiles against Ukraine. Early in the war, they also carried out the intense bombardment of Mariupol using unguided bombs. This is at least the third successful attack on LRA airfields, again raising questions about Russia's ability to protect strategic locations deep inside the country.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of August 22, Russian forces launched 2x missile and 38x air strikes, 26x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian terrorist attacks have killed and wounded civilians. Residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were damaged.

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

During the day of August 22, there were 26x combat engagements.
Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the Russian adversary fired mortars and artillery at more than 15x settlements, including Rozhkovychi, Seredyna-Buda, Myropil's'ke, Ryasne (Sumy oblast), Pletenivka, Vovchans'k, Chuhunivka (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at the settlements of Berestove, Tverdokhlibove, Kup'yans'k-Vuzlovyi (Kharkiv oblast).
Lyman axis: Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Tverdokhlibove and Serebryans'ke forestry (Luhansk oblast). About 10x settlements, including Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Zvanivka, Vesele, Spirne, Fedorivka (Donetsk oblast), were shelled with artillery.
Bakhmut axis: the Russian invaders launched an air strike in the vicinity of Ivanivske (Donetsk oblast). More than 15x settlements, including Min'kivka, Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Dyliivka (Donetsk oblast), suffered from Russian artillery shelling.
Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully repelled attacks by Russian troops near Avdiivka. The settlements of Novokalynove, Stepove, Avdiivka, Tonen'ke, Umans'ke (Donetsk oblast) came under artillery fire.
Mar'inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the Russian offensive in the vicinity of Mar'inka (Donetsk oblast). The invaders fired artillery at the settlements of Mar'inka, Pobjeda, Yelyzavetivka, Novomykhailivka, Katerynivka, Antonivka (Donetsk oblast).
Shakhtars'ke axis: Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Vodyane and Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast). 10x settlements, including Vodyane, Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva, Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast), suffered from Russian artillery shelling.
Zaporizhzhia axis: the Russian adversary launched air strikes in the vicinities of Mala Tokmachka, Yehorivka and Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). More than 15x settlements suffered from Russian artillery shelling, including Poltavka, Hulyaipole, Huliaipilske, Chervone, Zatyshshya (Zaporizhzhia oblast).
Kherson axis: the Russian adversary launched an air strike in the vicinity of Romashkove (Kherson oblast). The settlements of Novovorontsovka, Kherson, Komyshany (Kherson oblast) suffered from Russian artillery shelling.

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

During the day of August 22, the Ukrainian Air Force launched 9x air strikes on the concentrations troops and 2x strikes on anti-aircraft missile systems of the Russian adversary.

During the day of August 22, the Ukrainian missile and artillery troops hit 2x concentrations of troops, weapons, and military equipment, 2x ammunition depots and 1x TOS-1A heavy flamethrower system of the Russian forces.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces repelled five attacks by assault detachments of 41st, 66th, 67th mechanised and 25th airborne brigades of the AFU close to Sinkovka (Kharkov region), Novosyolovskoye and Raigorodka (Lugansk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 65 Ukrainian servicemen, four infantry fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, one D-20 howitzer, and one U.S.-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station.

One ammunition depot of the AFU 103rd Territorial Defence Brigade has been destroyed near Tabaevka (Kharkov region).

In Zaporozhye direction, as a result of actions by units of the Russian grouping of troops, aviation and artillery, four attacks by units of 65th mechanised and 82nd airborne assault brigades of the AFU have been repelled near Uspenovka and Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy losses were up to 125 Ukrainian servicemen, three infantry fighting vehicles, two armoured fighting vehicles, and nine motor vehicles.

As a result of effective counter-battery warfare, 11 enemy guns and four mortars have been neutralised, including: two U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery systems, three U.S.-manufactured M119 towed howitzers, Polish-manufactured Krab and French-manufactured CAEZAR self-propelled artillery systems, as well as one UK-manufactured FH-70 gun.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces, in cooperation with aviation and artillery, have successfully repelled 3 attacks by AFU assault groups close to Novomikhailovka and Avdeevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 235 Ukrainian servicemen, five infantry fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, two U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery systems, one Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled artillery system, one Msta-B howitzer, as well as one U.S.-manufactured AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery radar station.

In Krasny Liman direction, as a result of coordinated actions by units of the Tsentr Group of Forces, Army Aviation, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems, two attacks by assault groups of the 63rd Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been repelled south of Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen, three armored fighting vehicles, as well as two D-30 howitzers.

In South Donetsk direction, as a result of actions by aviation and artillery of the Vostok Group of Forces, four clusters of manpower and hardware of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been hit close to Makarovka, Staromayorskoye, and Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 240 Ukrainian servicemen killed and wounded, two armored fighting vehicles, one U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system, as well as one UK-manufactured FH-70 gun.

In Kherson direction, the enemy losses were up to 15 Ukrainian servicemen, two motor vehicles, two U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery systems, as well as one D-30 howitzer.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised manpower and military hardware in 139 areas.

In addition, one command and observation post of a unit of the 46th Airmobile Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been hit near Orekhov (Zaporozhye region).

One ammunition depot of the AFU 1st Tank Brigade has been destroyed close to Vasilkovka (Dnepropetrovsk region).

Air defence facilities have shot down 4 projectiles launched by HIMARS MLRS.

In addition, 39 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been destroyed close to Nikolaevka, Zolotaryovka, Novozvanovka, Kremennaya (Lugansk People's Republic), Berestovoye, Kodyma, Aleksandrovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Novaya Kakhovka (Kherson region), Mirnoye and Trudovoye (Zaporozhye region).

In total, 462 airplanes, 246 helicopters, 5,952 unmanned aerial vehicles, 431 air defence missile systems, 11,445 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,144 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 5,996 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 12,372 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation.