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Russo-Ukraine War - 16 January 2024 - Day 692

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 over the last week, neither Russian nor Ukrainian forces have taken any significant ground. Despite progress in late December 2023 in capturing Marinka, Russia has been unable to capitalise and advance either westwards towards Kurakhove or south towards Novomykhalivka.

The encirclement of Avdiivka likely remains Russia's key line of effort; however, to date Russia has made very limited territorial gains at a significant cost in both materiel and personnel. The northern town Stepove remains under Ukrainian control which secures access to the Avdiivka supply route. Russian attempts to isolate the town are unlikely for at least the next week.

Ukrainian marines continue to maintain their bridgehead at Krynky on the eastern bank of the Dnipro, despite Russian attempts to dislodge them. They will highly likely continue to contest this territory for the next week.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of January 16, there were 85x combat engagements. Russian forces launched a total of 2x missile and 13x air strikes, carried out 32x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks have resulted in civilian injuries. Private residential and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.

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 20x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Hrem'yachka, Mykhal'chyna Sloboda (Chernihiv oblast), Sosnivka, Atyns'ke, Volfyne, Stepok (Sumy oblast), Udy, Vovchans'k, Okhrimivka, Zemlyanky (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: the adversary conducted no offensives. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Ivanivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast).
Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 9x assaults near Terny, Yampolivka, Tors'ke (Donetsk oblast), and 15x more attacks near Makiivka, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), and north of Hryhorivka, Vesele (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 15x settlements, including Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Tors'ke, Hryhorivka, Serebryanka, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Spirne, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 6x attacks in the vicinities of Ivanivske, Andriivka and Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast). More than 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, New York (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 15x Russian attacks near Novobakhmutivka, Stepove, Avdiivka, and 15x more attacks in the vicinities of Pervomais'ke and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). In that area, the Russian occupiers, with air support, made unsuccessful attempts to improve their tactical situation. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 15x settlements, including Keramik, Berdychi, Stepove, Lastochkyne, Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast).
Mar'inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian forces in the vicinities of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Mar'inka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). In that area, the Russian adversary, with air support, made 16x failed attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces launched an air strike near the settlement of Kostyantynivka (Donetsk oblast). The settlements of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Pobjeda, Novomykhailivka, Kostyantynivka, Katerynivka were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Shakhtars'ke axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Vodyane (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Vodyane, Prechystivka, Blahodatne, Staromaiors'ke, Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast).
Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 1x assault west of Verbove (Zaporizhzhia oblast). In that area Russian forces made unsuccessful attempts to regain lost ground. Around 25x settlements, including Poltavka, Malynivka, Chervone, Bilohir'ya, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanylivka (Zaporizhzhia oblast), came under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: Russian forces fired artillery at the city of Kherson, the vicinities of Antonivka, Dniprovs'ke, Tyahynka (Kherson oblast).

The Russian occupiers do not abandon their intention to drive Ukrainian units out of their footholds on the left bank of the Dnipro. Thus, during the day, Russian forces made 6x unsuccessful assaults.

During the day of January 16, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 1x concentration of troops, weapons and military equipment. Also, Ukrainian air defense troops shot down 1x Kh-59 air-launched guided missile.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 1x concentration of troops, weapons and military equipment, 1x command post, 1x ammunition depot 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 and artillery repelled six attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 95th Air Assault Brigade close to Sinkovka (Kharkov region). The enemy losses amounted to up to 160 troops, three tanks (two of them - Leopards), and two pickup trucks.

In Krasny Liman direction, the Tsentr Group of Forces, supported by artillery fire, repelled four attacks launched by assault groups of the 63rd mechanised and 25th air assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic), and Yampolovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy losses amounted to up to 250 troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, and six motor vehicles.

In Donetsk direction, the Yug Group of Forces, supported by artillery, repelled five attacks launched by assault groups of the 10th mountain assault and 24th mechanised brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces close to Veseloye and Bogdanovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

In addition, artillery and heavy flamethrowers hit the enemy's manpower and military hardware near Kurdyumovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy lost up to 280 troops, one tank, two infantry fighting vehicles, and four motor vehicles. During the counter-battery warfare, the following were hit: one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, as well as one D-20 gun.

In South-Donetsk direction, the Vostok Group of Forces in cooperation with artillery and heavy flamethrowers, inflicted fire damage on the 72nd mechanised and 79th air assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Vladimirovka and Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy's losses amounted to 120 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, two pick-up trucks, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, and one MT-12 anti-tank gun.

In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery defeated clusters of manpower and military hardware of the 82nd Air Assault Brigade and the 116th Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Verbovoye and Rabotino (Zaporozhye region). The AFU lost up to 115 troops killed and wounded, three armoured fighting vehicles, one D-20 howitzer, and two D-30 guns.

In Kherson direction, as a result of the Russian Group of Forces actions and artillery, the AFU losses amounted to up to 65 Ukrainian troops, four motor vehicles. Moreover, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, one M-109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system, and three Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems were neutralised in counter-battery warfare.

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 112 areas during the day.

Air defence systems have shot down 69 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles during the day, including close to Novaya Mayachka, Golaya Pristann (Kherson region), Pologi (Zaporozhye region), Staromikhailovka, Peski, Spornoye, Maryinka, Lipovoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Belogorovka, Nyrkovo, Topolevka, Verkhnekamenka, and Krivosheyevka (Lugansk People's Republic), as well as 13 HIMARS MLRS projectiles.

In total, 567 airplanes and 265 helicopters, 10,758 unmanned aerial vehicles, 450 air defence missile systems, 14,645 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,202 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,750 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 17,507 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.