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Russo-Ukraine War - 13 February 2024 - Day 720

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 is proposing draft legislation to raise the age of military contract personnel, including those that were recruited before June 2023, to age 65, and age 70 for officers. This would substantially raise the current age limit of 51 for non-officers and would likely extend the contract length.

The pre-war 2021 life expectancy for Russian males was 64.2 according to the World Data website. Therefore, this measure confers on these service personnel, in effect, a lifetime contract.

Although this measure will likely alleviate the need for additional mobilisation, increasing the number of military personnel aged over 51 is highly unlikely to increase Russia's combat effectiveness, particularly in kinetic assaults.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of February 13, there were 52x combat engagements.

The Russian occupiers launched a total of 1x missile and 94x air strikes, carried out 89x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, Russian attacks resulted in killed and 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 Tussia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces launched an air strike at the settlement of Kruhle (Kharkiv oblast). More than 20x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Hrem'yach, Zarichchya, Koren'ok, Pavlivka (Sumy oblast), Udy, Alisivka, Kozacha Lopan', Luk'yantsi, Vovchans'k, Veterynarne (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives, however launched 2x air strikes at the settlement of Novojehorivka (Luhansk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Dvorichna, Ivanivka, Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka (Kharkiv oblast).
Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 2x assaults near Yampolivka (Donetsk oblast) and Bilohorivka (Lugansk oblast). In that area Russian forces made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense, to no success. The Russian occupiers launched 5x air strikes in the vicinities of Terny, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast), Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Serebryans'ke forestry (Luhansk oblast), Spirne, Tors'ke, Serebryanka, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 8x attacks in the vicinities of Bohdanivka, Ivanivske and Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast), where the Russian occupiers made attempts to improve their tactical situation. The Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Chasiv Yar (Donetsk oblast). Around 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Kurdyumivka, Bohdanivka, Klishchiivka, New York, Chasiv Yar (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 10x attacks near Avdiivka and 2x more attacks near Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). In that area, the Russian occupiers, with air support, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces launched 2x air strikes in the vicinity of Orlivka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Berdychi, Stepove, Lastochkyne, Avdiivka (Donetsk oblast).
Mar'inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian forces in the vicinities of Heorhiivka, Pobjeda, Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). In that area, Russian forces, with air support, made 11x attempts to improve its tactical situation. Russian forces launched air strikes near Kostyantynivka (Donetsk oblast). The settlements of Kurakhove, Heorhiivka, Kostyantynivka Pobjeda, Novomykhailivka, Paraskoviivka, Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast) were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Novopavlivka axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. The Russian adversary launched an air strike near Novodarivka (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Vuhledar, Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast), Levadne, Novodarivka (Zaporizhzhia oblast).
Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 1x attack east of Mala Tokmachka (Zaporizhzhia oblast). The occupiers' aircraft launched strikes at the settlements of Dolynka, Zhovta Krucha, Mala Tokmachka (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 20x settlements, including Poltavka, Hulyaipole, Chervone, Mala Tokmachka, Robotyne P'yatykhatky (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 1x unsuccessful assault on positions of Ukrainian troops. The city of Kherson, the settlements of Tokarivka, Romashkove (Kherson oblast) came under Russian artillery fire. The Russian invaders launched air strikes in the vicinity of Krynky (Kherson oblast). Also, the occupiers carried out MLRS strikes in the vicinities of Tyahynka, Ivanivka, Krynky (Kherson oblast).

During the day of February 13, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 11x concentrations of Russian troops, 1x command post, 3x locations of air defense systems. Ukrainian air defense forces shot down 16x Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs.
The Ukrainian missile troops hit 1x concentration of Russian troops, 4x artillery systems, 1x command post, 2x ammunition depots, 1x electronic warfare system .

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces repelled four attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 30th, 44th, and 60th mechanised brigades near Sinkovka (Kharkov region) and Terni (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 180 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, two armoured personnel carriers, and five motor vehicles.

In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the situation along the front lines, as well as repelled two attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 60th and 63rd mechanised brigades near Torskoye and Yampolovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 310 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, eight armoured fighting vehicles, 27 motor vehicles, and one Grad MLRS combat vehicle.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions, as well as inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 53rd Mechanised Brigade and 129th Territorial Defence Brigade near Novgorodskoye and Novokalinovo (Donetsk People's Republic).

Moreover, five attacks launched by units of the AFU 24th Mechanised Brigade, 5th Assault Brigade, 79th, 80th air assault brigades were repelled near Kleshcheyevka, Leninskoye, Shumy, Krasnogorovka, and Georgievka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to 325 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, one tank, four armoured fighting vehicles, and 25 motor vehicles.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery inflicted losses on AFU manpower and hardware near Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region), Vladimirovka, Vodyanoye, Urozhaynoye, Prechistovka, and Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 250 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, two armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, and one electronic warfare station.

In Kherson direction, units of the Russian Groups of Forces supported by artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 65th Mechanised Brigade, 82nd Air Assault Brigade, and 23rd Ukrainian National Guard Brigade near Verbovoye, Rabotino (Zaporozhye region), and Nikopol (Dnepropetrovsk region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 80 Ukrainian troops and two motor vehicles.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces wiped out one ammunition depot of the AFU 126th Territorial Defence Brigade, as well as engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 114 areas during the day.

Air defence units shot down 63 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near Kremenets, Aleksandrovka, Kleshcheyevka, Mezhevoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Lyubimovka, Dudchany (Kherson region), Basan (Zaporozhye region), as well as intercepted three HIMARS MLRS projectiles.

In total, 570 airplanes and 265 helicopters, 12,292 unmanned aerial vehicles, 464 air defence missile systems, 14,994 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,219 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,021 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 18,574 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.