• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Russo-Ukraine War - 12 February 2024 - Day 719

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 in February 2024 a new military research institute was established at the Moscow Higher School of Economics (HSE). The Institute of World Military Economics and Strategy as it is known was set-up by the hard-line political scientist, Sergey Karaganov. It will be headed by Admiral Sergey Avakyants, former commander of the Pacific Fleet, who was relieved of command in April 2023. Avakyants believes Russia is in a state of long-term confrontation with the West.

The new institute will cover politics and economics but will focus on the Military Industrial Complex of foreign nations. It will also focus on the study of strategic deterrence and the role of nuclear weapons.

It has been proposed that the employees of the institute will be mainly recruited from the various faculties of the HSE. It will also invite researchers from various military academies such as the Russian General Staff Academy. This will highly likely lead to closer interaction between Russian academia and the defence sector, boosting the militarisation of higher education.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of February 12, there were 63x combat engagements.

Russian forces launched a total of 5x missile and 71x air strikes, carried out 45x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, Russian attacks resulted in wounded civilians. Residential private and apartment buildings, 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 Volodymyrivka, Ponomarenky, Volfyne, Stepok (Sumy oblast), Udy, Kozacha Lopan', Luk'yantsi, Vovchans'k (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 1x attack near Tabaivka (Kharkiv oblast), where the Russian occupiers made unsuccessful attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Kotlyarivka (Kharkiv oblast).
Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 1x assaults near Terny (Donetsk oblast). In that area Russian forces made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense, to no success. The Russian occupiers launched an air strike in the vicinity of Vyimka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Serebryans'ke forestry (Luhansk oblast), Tors'ke, Serebryanka, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 6x attacks in the vicinities of Bohdanivka, Andriivka and Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast), where the Russian occupiers, with air support, made unsuccessful attempts to improve their tactical situation. Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of New York (Donetsk oblast). Around 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Kalynivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, New York (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 14x attacks near Avdiivka and 4x more attacks near Tonen'ke, Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). In that area, Russian forces, with air support, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense, to no success. The Russian occupiers launched an air strike in the vicinity of Novokalynove (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Novokalynove, Novobakhmutivka, Berdychi, Lastochkyne, Avdiivka (Donetsk oblast).
Mar'inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the invaders in the vicinities of Heorhiivka, Pobjeda, Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). In that area, Russian forces, with air support, made 25x attempts to improve its tactical situation. Russian forces launched air strikes near Kostyantynivka, Paraskoviivka (Donetsk oblast). The settlements of Kurakhove, Pobjeda, Novomykhailivka, Katerynivka, Paraskoviivka (Donetsk oblast) were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Novopavlivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 1x assault south of Prechystivka (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva, Blahodatne (Donetsk oblast).
Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 1x attack near Novopokrovka (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 20x settlements, including Poltavka, Malynivka, Chervone, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanylivka, Mali Shcherbaky (Zaporizhzhia oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: Russian forces 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 2x unsuccessful assaults on positions of Ukrainian troops. The city of Kherson, the settlements of Antonivka, Ponyativka (Kherson oblast) came under artillery fire of the occupiers. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Krupytsya, Krynky, Beryslav (Kherson oblast). Also, the Russian occupiers carried out MLRS strikes in the vicinities of L'vove, Tyahynka, Ivanivka, Krynky (Kherson oblast).

During the day of February 12, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 13x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment. Ukrainian air defense forces shot down 6x reconnaissance UAVs.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 1x Russian artillery system.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces repelled three attacks launched by assault groups of the AFU 43rd Mechanised and 25th Air Assault brigades close to Sinkovka and Timkovka (Kharkov region).

Up to 60 Ukrainian troops, two pick-up trucks, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system have been eliminated.

In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the situation along the front line and repelled two attacks launched by assault groups of the AFU 60th and 63rd mechanised brigades close to Yampolovka (Donetsk People's Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).

The enemy losses amounted to up to 290 Ukrainian troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, and nine motor vehicles.

In Donetsk direction, the Yug Group of Forces' units took more advantageous lines and positions and repelled 13 attacks launched by AFU 42nd mechanised, 79th air assault, 81st airmobile brigades and 112th territorial defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Bogdanovka, Georgiyevka (Donetsk People's Republic) and Belogorvka (Lugansk People's Republic).

During the day, up to 240 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, two U.S.-made M777 artillery systems, and one D-20 howitzer have been neutralised. Moreover, two field ammunition depots.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces, in cooperation with aviation, inflicted fire damage on the AFU 72nd Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the 127th Territorial Defence Brigade close to Vodyanoye (Donetsk People's Republic) and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region).

The AFU losses were more than 165 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer.

In Kherson direction, units of the 35th Marine Brigade and the 121st Territorial Defence Brigade were defeated close to Tokarevka and Mikhailovka (Kherson region).

The enemy losses amounted to up to 70 troops and three motor vehicles. One Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, one Giatsint-B towed howitzer, and one D-30 howitzer were hit during counter-battery warfare.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 109 areas during the day.

Air defence systems shot down 33 unmanned aerial vehicles near Novaya Kakhovka, Obryvka, Rayskoye, and Peschanovka (Kherson region).

In total, 570 airplanes and 265 helicopters, 12,229 unmanned aerial vehicles, 464 air defence missile systems, 14,964 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,218 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,020 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 18,499 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.