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Russo-Ukraine War - 23 August 2023 - Day 546

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 as of mid-August 2023, Russian forces were continuing to employ pontoon bridges at Chonhar and Henichesk crossing points on the border between southern Ukraine and occupied Crimea. Both permanent bridges sustained damage from Ukrainian precision strikes in early August 2023.

The pontoon bridges are unlikely to be able to fully sustain the flow of heavy vehicles carrying ammunition and weaponry to the front.

The resulting bottlenecks mean Russian forces are partially reliant on a long diversion via Armiansk, northern Crimea. This is adding further friction to Russia's logistics network in the south.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of August 23, Russian forces launched 9x missile and 49x air strikes, 40x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Also, today the Russian occupants launched yet another attack on the territory of Ukraine using Shahed-136/131 UAVs. The Ukrainian air defense intercepted 12x combat UAVs of the adversary. Unfortunately, the Russian terrorist attacks have killed and wounded civilians. Residential buildings, port infrastructure, schools, and other civilian infrastructure were damaged.

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

During the day of August 23, there were 16x combat engagements.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Romny, Kostyantynivka (Sumy oblast), Dovzhyk, and Chuhunivka (Kharkiv oblast). The adversary fired mortars and artillery at more than 15x settlements, including Bleshnya (Chernihiv oblast), Iskryskivshchyna, Pokrovka, Ryasne (Sumy oblast), Ohirtseve, Hatyshche, and Krasnyi Yar (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensives in the vicinity of Novojehorivka (Kharkiv oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Shyikivka (Kharkiv oblast), and Tverdokhlibove (Luhansk oblast). The settlements of Hryanykivka, Masyutivka, Syn'kivka, Kup'yans'k, Pershotravneve, and Orlyans'ke (Kharkiv oblast) came under artillery and mortar fire of the Russian adversary.
Lyman axis: Russian forces fired artillery at more than 30x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Yampil', Zakitne, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Ivano-Dar'ivka, and Spirne (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensives in the vicinity of Vesele (Donetsk oblast). The Russian invaders launched air strikes in the vicinities of Spirne, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, and Bila Hora (Donetsk oblast). More than 25x settlements, including Nykyforivka, Vasylivka, Zaliznyans'ke, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Hryhorivka, and Bohdanivka (Donetsk oblast), suffered from Russian artillery shelling.
Avdiivka axis: the settlements of Avdiivka, Tonen'ke, Sjeverne, Vodyane, Pervomais'ke, and Nevel's'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 Russian invaders fired artillery at the settlements of Krasnohorivka, Mar'inka, Pobjeda, Novomykhailivka, Kostyantynivka, and Katerynivka (Donetsk oblast).
Shakhtars'ke axis: more than 10x settlements, including Novoukrainka, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva, Shakhtars'ke, Blahodatne, and Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast), suffered from Russian artillery shelling.
Zaporizhzhia axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive operations in the vicinity of Mala Tokmachka (Zaporizhzhia oblast). The Russian invaders launched air strikes in the vicinities of Orikhiv and Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). More than 20x settlements suffered from Russian artillery shelling, including Mahdalynivka, Luk'yanivs'ke, Pavlivka, P'yatykhatky, and Plavni (Zaporizhzhia oblast).
Kherson axis: the Russian adversary launched air strikes in the areas of Beryslav, Odradokam'yanka, L'vove, Kherson (Kherson oblast), and Izmail (Odesa oblast). Kherson, Yantarne, Veletens'ke, Kizomys, Sofiivka, Shyroka Balka (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 23, Ukrainian Air Force launched 1x air strike on a command post, 10x air strikes on the concentrations of troops and 1x air strike on the anti-aircraft missile system of the Russian adversary.

During day of August 23, the Ukrainian missile and artillery troops hit 2x command posts, 1x concentration of troops, weapons, and military equipment, and 2x artillery systems of the Russian adversary at their firing positions.

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 tactical situation.

With the support of aviation, artillery fire, and heavy flamethrowers, four attacks by assault groups of the 67th, Mechanised, 68th Jaeger, 25th Airborne, and 95th Air Assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were repelled close to Sinkovka (Kharkov region), Novoyegorovka, and Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic).

The enemy's losses in this direction during the day amounted to up to 170 Ukrainian troops, one tank, five armoured fighting vehicles, three pick-up trucks, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, as well as one D-20 howitzer.

In Zaporozhye direction, four attacks of the AFU 65th Mechanised Brigade near Rabotino (Zaporozhye region) were repelled by competent actions of the Russian units, air strikes, and artillery fire during the day.

Up to 80 Ukrainian servicemen, four motor vehicles, Polish-made Krab and German-made Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled artillery systems, one D-30 gun, three U.S.-made M119 howitzer, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-48 counter-battery radiation station have been neutralised.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces, in close co-operation with aviation and artillery, repelled three attacks by Ukrainian Armed Forces near Nevelskoye, Mayorsk, and Kurdyumovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy has suffered losses of up to 180 Ukrainian troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, one Gvozdika and one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems, and D-30 and D-20 howitzers in this direction in the past 24 hours.

In Krasny Liman direction, the Tsentr Group of Forces' units, aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems inflicted losses on the units of AFU 21st Mechanised Brigade and 5th National Guard Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Yampolovka (Donetsk People's Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic). During the day in this direction, the enemy suffered losses of up to 60 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, two pick-up trucks, and one D-30 howitzer.

?? In South Donetsk direction, aviation and artillery of the Vostok Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on clusters of AFU manpower and hardware close to Staromayorskoye and Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People's Republic). In addition, atwo AFU sabotage and reconnaissance groups were disabled near Rovnopol (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy's losses amounted to up to 145 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, one tank, as well as an American-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system during the day.

In Kherson direction, up to 20 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, and one Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer were destroyed by enemy fire.

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. One P-18 radar for detecting and tracking air targets was neutralised near Zaporozhye. Two command posts of the AFU 67th Mechanised and 81st Airmobile brigades was eliminated close to Serebryanka and Dronovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Russian air defence forces have intercepted one HIMARS MLRS projectile during the day.

Moreover, 18 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down close to Shipilovka, Privolye, Makeyevka (Lugansk People's Republic), Berestovoye, Kurdyumovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Chistopolye, Lyubimovka, Mirnoye, and Inzhenernoye (Zaporozhye region).

In total, 462 airplanes and 246 helicopters, 5,970 unmanned aerial vehicles, 431 air defence missile systems, 11,457 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,144 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 6,011 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 12,390 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.