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Russo-Ukraine War - 27 October 2023 - Day 611

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 the Russian Airforce's Long Range Aviation fleet (LRA) of heavy bombers has not conducted air launched cruise missile strikes into Ukraine for over a month, one of the longest gaps in such strikes since the conflict began.

While Russia is still able to utilise other strike capabilities, the LRA had been the primary method for conducting stand-off precision strikes. Russia almost certainly needed to reduce the frequency of its strikes to replenish its diminishing stockpile of AS-23a KODIAK cruise missiles.

Russia will likely use any recently produced inventory LRA munitions to strike Ukrainian energy infrastructure over the winter. Russia will highly likely continue to supplement any such campaign with Iranian-designed one-way attack uncrewed aerial vehicle attacks.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that During the day of October 27, there were 47x combat engagements. Russian forces launched a total of 6 missile strikes, 8x air strikes and 27x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the attacks injured and killed civilians. Private houses and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.

The operational situation in east and south of Ukraine remains difficult.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of formation of an offensive group. Certain units of the armed forces of Belarus continue their missions in the areas bordering Ukraine.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia maintains its military presence in the areas of Russia bordering Ukraine. Russia continues to shell Ukrainian settlements from the territory of russia, continues to conduct sabotage and reconnaissance activities and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. The settlements of Bobylivka (Sumy oblast) and Vovchans'k (Kharkiv oblast) suffered Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces did not conduct any offensive (assault) actions and continued to regroup its troops. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at the settlements of Dvorichna, Syn'kivka, Kyslivka, Ivanivka (Kharkiv oblast).
Lyman axis: Russian forces did not conduct any offensive (assault) actions and continued to regroup their troops. The occupiers fired artillery and mortars at the settlements of Nevs'ke, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), and Sivers'k, Spirne (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: Russian forces made attempts to regain the lost ground near Andriivka, where Ukrainian defenders repelled 5x attacks. More than 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, New York (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful assault operations in the vicinities of Avdiivka, Stepove and Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast). The Ukrainian defenders repelled 13x Russian attacks in the area. The invaders fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Keramik, Stepove, Avdiivka, Sjeverne, Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast).
Mar'inka axis: Russian forces conducted assault operations in the vicinities of Mar'inka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast), to no success. The Ukrainian defense forces repelled 19x Russian attacks in the area. Around 10x settlements in Donetsk oblast, including Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Mar'inka, Pobjeda, Novomykhailivka, were under artillery and mortar fire of the Russian occupiers.
Shakhtars'ke axis: the Ukrainian defense forces repelled all Russian attacks in the vicinities of Vodyane, Zolota Nyva and Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast). Around 10x settlements, including Vodyane, Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva, Blahodatne (Donetsk oblast), came under artillery and mortar fire.
Zaporizhzhia axis: Russian forces made failed attempts to regain the lost ground northwest of Verbove (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 20x settlements, including Poltavka, Hulyaipole, Huliaipilske, Robotyne, Kamianka (Zaporizhzhia oblast), and Nikopol' (Dnipropetrovsk oblast), came under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Kherson axis: Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at the settlement of Zelenivka (Kherson oblast) and the city of Kherson.

At the same time, the Ukrainian defense forces continue offensive operations in the Melitopol axis, offensive (assault) operations in the Bakhmut axis, inflicting losses in manpower and equipment on the Russian occupation forces, and exhausting Russian forces along the entire front line.

During the day of October 27, Ukrainian Air Force launched 5x air strike on the concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment, and 4x air strikes on air defense systems.

The missile troops hit 4x concentrations of troops, weapons and military equipment, 8x artillery systems, 2x ammunition depots and 3x air defense systems of the Russian occupiers.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in the period from 21 to 27 October 2023, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out 19 group strikes with precision-guided weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles against arsenals with artillery ammunition, storage sites for uncrewed boats, military airfield infrastructure, and POL bases.

Furthermore, the bases housing Ukrainian soldiers, nationalists, and foreign mercenaries were attacked and successfully neutralised. The strikes resulted in the complete annihilation of all designated targets.

In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces have repelled 47 counter-attacks launched by the enemy over the past week and took better lines and positions by their professional efforts .

Aviation and artillery launched attacks at the AFU 25th air assault, 14th, 32nd, 41st mechanised, and 68th jaeger brigades close to Sinkovka, Ivanovka (Kharkov region), Sergeyevka and Novoyegorovka (Lugansk People's Republic). Moreover, four ammunition and armament depots of the AFU were wiped out.

The enemy losses were more than 705 servicemen, one tank, 11 armoured fighting vehicles, 19 motor vehicles, as well as five field artillery guns.

In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces supported by aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems repelled 45 attacks of assault detachments of the AFU 24th, 63rd, 67th mechanised brigades and the 15th National Guard Regiment.

The enemy losses in this direction amounted to more than 1,020 troops, 20 armoured fighting vehicles, 14 motor vehicles, and three guns.

In Donetsk direction, the Yug Group of Forces has repelled nine enemy attacks and inflicted fire damage on AFU 24th and 54th mechanised, and 77th Airmobile brigades near Mariynka, Kurdyumovka, Bogdanovka, and Kleshcheyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses amounted to more than 2,055 servicemen, three tanks, 17 armoured fighting vehicles, 22 motor vehicles, and 16 field artillery guns in this direction.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces captured more favourable frontline positions and inflicted fire damage on the units of the AFU 58th motorised infantry, 72nd mechanised, 128th territorial defence brigades close to Staromayorskoye, Ugledar, and Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy have lost more than 885 servicemen, one tank, four armoured fighting vehicles, 17 motor vehicles, as well as four field artillery guns over this period.

In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Troops conducted intensive defensive operations, successfully repelling 19 attacks of assault groups of the AFU 65th and 118th mechanised, and 82nd air assault brigades near Verbovoye and Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy's total casualties reached more than 435 servicemen, 15 tanks, 17 armoured fighting vehicles, 16 motor vehicles, and 17 field artillery guns.

As a result of preemptive measures taken by Russian forces and artillery fire assaults, the AFU have incurred losses of up to 485 troops killed and wounded, 11 field artillery guns, and 20 motor vehicles over the past week.

Within the operational area of the Zapad Group of Forces, as well as on the Soledar-Bakhmut and South Donetsk directions, Ukrainian military personnel are facing a significantly low level of morale and psychological distress.

During the week, a total of 54 Ukrainian servicemen, belonging to the 54th mechanised, 56th, 57th, and 58th motorised infantry, and 110th and 115th territorial defence brigades, have voluntarily surrendered to Russian forces and have been taken captive.

In addition, 208 Ukrainian UAVs have been shot down, along with 19 HIMARS and four Uragan projectiles, two ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, two Neptune anti-ship missiles, six HARM anti-radiation missiles, eight JDAM guided bombs, and one S-200 converted surface-to-surface missile over the past week.

Since 1 October 2023, Russia's fighter jets and air defence systems have shot down 31 airplanes and three helicopters: 20 MiG-29 airplanes, eight Su-25 ground-attack aircraft, one Su-24 bomber, two L-39 jet trainers, and three Mi-8 helicopters of Ukrainian Air Force.

In total, 515 airplanes and 253 helicopters, 8,312 unmanned aerial vehicles, 441 air defence missile systems, 12,960 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,169 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 6,893 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 14,684 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.