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Russo-Ukraine War - 30 October 2023 - Day 614

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 a Russian state-backed private military company (PMC) is specifically attempting to recruit women into combat roles in Ukraine for the first time. Recent social media adverts have appealed for female recruits to join Borz Battalion, a part of Russian PMC Redut, to work as snipers and uncrewed aerial vehicle operators. Redut is likely directly sponsored by the Russian Main Directorate of Intelligence.

In March 2023, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that 1,100 women were deployed in Ukraine, which would equate to only around 0.3 per cent of its force. As Redut's advert points out, they currently serve in mostly medical support and food service roles.

It remains unclear whether official Russian defence forces will seek to follow suit and open more combat roles to women. Women have rarely taken front line fighting roles within pro-Russian forces during the current conflict; however, there was a strong tradition of female snipers and other combat troops in Soviet forces during the Second World War.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of October 30, there were 36x combat engagements. Russian forces launched a total of 7x missile and 90x air strikes, 82x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks have killed and wounded civilians. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed or damaged.

Also, Russian occupants launched yet another strike on Ukraine last night, using 2x Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs, and 1x Kh-59 air-launched guided missile. The Ukrainian air defense forces and means destroyed all of the Shahed attack UAVs of the Russian adversary.

Air strikes hit Stohnii, Petropavlivka, Sen'kove, Pershotravneve (Kharkiv oblast), Serebryans'ke forestry, Spirne, Vyimka, Andriivka, Kurdyumivka, Arkhanhel's'ke, Novokalynove, Novobakhmutivka, Semenivka, Stepove, Berdychi, Avdiivka, Sjeverne, Orlivka, Mar'inka, Oleksandropil', Katerynivka, Novomykhailivka, Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast), Novodarivka, Novodanylivka, Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast), Novoberyslav, Zmiivka, Kozats'ke, Ivanivka, Beryslav, Mykolaivka, Antonivka, and Tyahynka (Kherson oblast).
More than 110x settlements in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Mykolayiv oblasts came under artillery fire.
Pivnich operational-strategic group, Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the Russian adversary maintains its military presence in the areas of Russia bordering Ukraine. The Russian troops conduct active subversive activities in order to prevent the deployment of Ukrainian troops to threatened axes. The Russian adversary increases the density of minefields along the state border in Belgorod oblast (Russia).
Khortytsia operational-strategic group, Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful assault operations in the vicinity of settlement of Syn'kivka (Kharkiv oblast), where Ukrainian defenders repelled 2x attacks of the adversary.
Lyman axis: Russian forces did not conduct any offensive (assault) operations.
Bakhmut axis: the Russian adversary made unsuccessful attempts to regain the lost ground in the vicinity of Klischchiivka. Ukrainian defenders repelled 3x attacks in that area. The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue assault operations south of Bakhmut (Donetsk oblast), inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the Russian enemy, and consolidate their new positions.
Tavria operational-strategic group, Avdiivka axis: the Russian occupiers keep trying to encircle Avdiivka, but the Ukrainian soldiers are standing their ground, inflicting major losses on the Russian enemy. The Russian forces' offensive actions were unsuccessful in the vicinities of settlements of Avdiivka, Tonen'ke, and Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast), where the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled more than 5x Russian attacks.
Mar'inka axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful assault operations in the vicinities of Mar'inka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). The Ukrainian soldiers repelled more than 15x Russian attacks there.
Shakhtars'ke and Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled Russian attacks in the vicinity of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast).
At the same time, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue their offensive operation on Melitopol' axis, inflicting losses in manpower and equipment on the occupation forces, exhausting the Russian forces all along the front line.
Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: the Ukrainian soldiers conduct counter-battery fire and strike behind the Russian lines.

During the day of October 30, Ukrainian Air Force launched 19x air strikes on the concentrations of troops, weapons, and military equipment, and 1x air strike on the anti-aircraft missile system of the adversary. Ukrainian air defense also destroyed 12x strike UAVs, 2x air-launched guided missiles and 6x reconnaissance UAVs.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 1x air defense system, 5x concentrations of troops, weapons and military equipment, 9x artillery systems, and 6x other important targets of the Russian invaders.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces, supported by aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems, have repelled nine attacks by assault groups of 54th mechanised and 57th motorised infantry brigades of the AFU close to Sinkovka and Timkovka (Kharkov region).

The enemy losses were up to 90 servicemen, two tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles, and two motor vehicles.

In Krasny Liman direction, as a result of concerted actions by units of the Tsentr Group of Forces, Army Aviation and artillery, two attacks by assault groups of the 24th Mechanised Brigade of the AFU and the 5th Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard have been repelled near Grigorovka and Kirovo (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 70 servicemen and three pickup trucks.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces, supported by artillery and heavy flamethrower systems, have struck AFU 22nd mechanised, 79th air assault, and 4th tank brigades near Maryinka, Andreevka, and Kleshcheevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up ro 285 Ukrainian servicemen killed and wounded, two armoured fighting vehicles, and three motor vehicles.

In the course of counter-battery warfare, two U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery systems and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system have been hit.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces, in cooperation with Army Aviation and artillery, have inflicted a fire attack on manpower and hardware concentration areas of 72nd mechanised and 79th air assault brigades of the AFU, and 105th and 118th territorial defence brigades close to Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region), Novomikhailovka, Nikolskoye, and Ugledar (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were over 100 servicemen, two armoured personnel carriers, two pickup trucks, and one Giatsint-B gun.

In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces, supported by aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems, have repelled one attack by an assault group of the 65th Mechanised Brigade of the AFU close to Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy losses were up to 220 soldiers killed and wounded, two tanks, including one German-manufactured Leopard tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, and three pickup trucks.

In the course of counter-battery warfare, two U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery systems, one Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled artillery system, as well as one Msta-B howitzer have been destroyed.

In Kherson direction, the enemy losses were up to 70 servicemen and three motor vehicles.

Msta-B and D-20 howitzers, as well as one Giatsint-B gun have been destroyed.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised manpower and military hardware in 128 areas.

In addition, one arsenal of AFU aviation weapons has been destroyed near Dubiyevka (Cherkassy region).

Command posts of 43rd and 67th mechanised brigades, the 35th Marine Brigade, and the 31st Operational Brigade have been hit close to Stepovaya Novosyolovka (Kharkov region), Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic), and Lepetikha (Nikolayev region).

Air defence facilities have intercepted two HIMARS projectiles.

In addition, 39 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down near Olshana (Kharkov region), Kremennaya, Zolotaryovka, Nyrkovo, Belogorovka (Lugansk People's Republic), Staromlynovka, Novoluganskoye, Verkhnetoretskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Chapaevka, Ocheretovatoye (Zaporozhye region), Krynki, Proletarka (Kherson region).

In total, 517 airplanes and 253 helicopters, 8,431 unmanned aerial vehicles, 441 air defence missile systems, 13,019 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,170 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 6,913 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 14,776 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation.