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Russo-Ukraine War - 25 November 2023 - Day 640

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's Black Sea Fleet's (BSF) ability to use its Novorossiysk base to reload vessels with cruise missiles is likely to become a significant factor in the fleet's operational effectiveness.

Traditionally, BSF has reloaded cruise missiles at Sevastopol in Crimea. With that facility increasingly held at risk by Ukrainian long range strikes, Russia will highly likely see Novorossiysk as the best alternative site. However, relocating and reloading the missiles would require new delivery, storage, handling and loading processes.

On 13 November 2023, the Ukrainian military claimed that Russia has paused firing maritime cruise missiles because of 'logistical problems' at Novorossiysk. Russia will likely seek to expedite overcoming such issues in time for maritime cruise missiles to be included in any winter campaign of strikes against Ukraine.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of November 25, there were 42x combat engagements. Russian forces launched a total of 3x missile, 99x air strikes, 38x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Moreover, the Russian occupiers attacked Ukraine with 75x Shahed-136/131 strike UAVs, 74x drones were shot down by Ukrainian defenders. All Russian drones were shot down. Russian attacks have unfortunately resulted in injuries among civilians. Private residential buildings as well as other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.

The operational situation in eastern and southern 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 its sabotage and reconnaissance activities, shelling Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. Around 15x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Klyusy, Yeline, Bleshnya, Tymonovychi, Leonivka, Hrem'yach (Chernihiv oblast), Volfyne, Kindrativka, Loknya, Zapsillya, Tur'ya, Popivka (Sumy oblast), Udy, Alisivka, Bochkove, Mala Vovcha (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces conducted assault operations in the vicinities of Syn'kivka and Ivanivka (Kharkiv oblast), where Ukrainian defenders repelled 3x attacks. The Russian adversary launched air strikes near Ivanivka and Kyslivka. The Russian invaders fired artillery and mortars at the settlements of Dvorichna, Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Ivanivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast).
Lyman axis: Russian forces did not conduct any offensives. The Russian invaders launched air strikes in the area near Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast) and Terny (Donetsk oblast). The Russian occupiers fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Tors'ke, Serebryanka, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Spirne, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: Russian forces made failed assaults near Klishchiivka and Andriivka (Donetsk oblast), where Ukrainian defenders repelled 7x attacks. More than 10x settlements, including Bohdanivka, Mykolaivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, New York (Donetsk oblast), came under artillery and mortar fire.
Avdiivka axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled 17x attacks in the vicinities of Stepne, Avdiivka, Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 15x settlements, including Sukha Balka, Keramik, Stepove, Avdiivka, Pervomais'ke, Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast).
Mar'inka axis: Russian forces made unsuccessful assaults in the vicinities of Mar'inka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast), where Ukrainian defenders repelled 7x attacks. Russian forces launched air strikes near Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). Around 10x settlements, including Oleksandropil', Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Mar'inka, Novomykhailivka, Pobjeda (Donetsk oblast) were under artillery and mortar fire of the Russian occupiers.
Shakhtars'ke axis: Russian forces conducted offensives south of Zolota Nyva and east of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast), to no success. Around 10x settlements, including Vodyane, Bohoyavlenka, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva, Blahodatne (Donetsk oblast), came under artillery and mortar fire.
Zaporizhzhia axis: Russian forces made 4x attempts to regain lost ground near Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast), to no success. More than 20x settlements, including Poltavka, Hulyaipole, Charivne, Novodanylivka, Mali Shcherbaky, Plavni (Zaporizhzhia oblast), came under artillery and mortar fire.
Kherson axis: the settlements of Mykhailivka, Shlyakhove, Kosats'ke, Ivanivka, Dniprovs'ke, Berehove (Kherson oblast), the city of Kherson, and the city of Ochakiv (Mykolaiv oblast) suffered from Russian artillery shelling.

Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold their ground on the left bank of the Dnipro River (Kherson oblast), and continue to inflict fire on the Russian forces.

During the day of November 25, Ukrainian Air Force launched 11x strikes on concentrations of troops, weapons and military equipment of the Russian occupiers.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 7x concentrations of troops, weapons and military equipment, 4x artillery systems and 1x ammunition depot of the Russian invaders.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that during active actions in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery repelled two attacks of AFU assault groups.

AFU 14th mechanised and 57th mechanised infantry brigades' units have been hit east of Sinkovka (Kharkov region). The enemy's losses amounted to 110 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, as well as one D-20 and one D-30 howitzers.

In Krasny Liman direction, coordinated actions of the Tsentr Group of Forces, helicopters, and artillery repelled one attack launched by assault groups of the 5th National Guard Brigade of Ukrainian Armed Forces near Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

In addition, strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of the AFU 47th Mechanised Brigade close to Petrovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic).

The enemy lost up to 55 Ukrainian troops and two pickup trucks.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery inflicted losses on clusters of manpower of AFU 22nd, 28th mechanised brigades to Kleshcheyevka, Kurdyumovka, Razdolovka, Bogdanovka, Krasnoye, and Vasyukovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy in this direction lost up to 290 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, three motor vehicles, D-20 and D-30 howitzers, as well as one Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces utilising results of aviation and artillery strikes repelled one enemy attack near Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region), as well as inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 128th Territorial Defence Brigade close to Nikolskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

Up to 150 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, one D-20 howitzer, as well as one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system have been eliminated.

In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery repelled two attacks of the AFU 117th Mechanised Brigade north of Novoprokopovka (Zaporozhye region), and inflicted fire damage on AFU 33rd, 65th mechanised brigades' manpower and hardware close to Rabotino(Zaporozhye region).

More than 40 Ukrainian personnel, two tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, and one M-46 gun were neutralised.

In Kherson direction, up to 35 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded and two motor vehicles have been neutralised by fire.

In the course of the counterbattery warfare, one Msta-B howitzer, and one Giatsint-B gun were destroyed.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 115 areas during the day.

In addition, two air-delivered ordnance depots were destroyed at military airfields Dolgintsevo and near Dnepropetrovsk.

Two P-18 radars for detecting and tracking air targets were destroyed near Volnyansk (Zaporozhye region) and Pavlovka (Dnepropetrovsk region).

Two command and observation posts of the AFU 67th Mechanised Brigade and 100th Territorial Defence Brigade were destroyed near Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Russian air defence means have shot down two MiG-29 aircraft of Ukrainian Air Force near Pershotravensk and Braginovka (Dnepropetrovsk region).

In addition, one HIMARS MLRS projectile was intercepted, and 18 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed near Nyrkovo, Zolotaryovka (Lugansk People's Republic), Novomikhailovka, Novobakhmutovka (Donetsk People's Republic), and Novaya Zburyevka, Radenks (Kherson region).

In total, 539 airplanes and 255 helicopters, 9,183 unmanned aerial vehicles, 442 air defence missile systems, 13,611 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,185 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,175 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 15,602 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.