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Russo-Ukraine War - 17 February 2024 - Day 724

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 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of February 17, there were 63x combat engagements. Russian forces launched a total of 4x missile and 61x air strikes, carried out 79x 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, healthcare institutions and critical 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. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Stohnii, Chorne, Sadovod (Kharkiv oblast). More than 20x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Karpovychi, Leonivka (Chernihiv oblast), Seredyna-Buda, Vil'na Sloboda, Holyshivs'ke, Veselivka, Mohrytsya, Mykhailivs'ke, Yizdets'ke (Sumy oblast), Hur'iv Kozachok, Veterynarne, Vovchans'ki Khutory, Bochkove, Kruhle, Ozerne (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Kup'yans'k (Kharkiv oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Dvorichna, Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Ivanivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast).
Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 7x assaults near Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Yampolivka (Donetsk oblast). In that area the Russian adversary, with air support, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. The Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Makiivka and Serebryans'ke forestry (Luhansk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Tors'ke, Serebryanka, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 7x attacks in the vicinities of Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Andriivka (Donetsk oblast), where the Russian occupiers, with air support, made attempts to improve their tactical situation. Around 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Vasyukivka, Bohdanivka, Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske, New York (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 14x attacks in the vicinity of Lastochkyne (Donetsk oblast). On top of that, the Russian occupiers launched an air strike in the vicinity of Orlivka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at up to 20x settlements, including Novobakhmutivka, Stepove, Lastochkyne, Nevel's'ke (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 made 21x attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. The settlements of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, Paraskoviivka, Kostyantynivka were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Novopavlivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 2x attacks south of Prechystivka and west of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast), where Russian forces, with air support, made attempts to improve their tactical situation. Also, Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Vodyane, Zolota Nyva, Staromaiors'ke, Rivnopil' (Donetsk oblast).
Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 4x attacks west of Verbove and Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Russian forces launched an air strike near Novodarivka (Zaporizhzhia oblast). More than 20x settlements, including Levadne, Malynivka, Zaliznychne, Charivne, Novoandriivka, Lobkove (Zaporizhzhia oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: the Russian occupiers do not abandon their intention to drive Ukrainian units out of their footholds on the left bank of the Dnipro. During the day, Russian forces made 2x attempts to assault positions of Ukrainian troops. The settlements of Beryslav, Antonivka, Sofiivka (Kherson oblast), and the city of Ochakiv (Mykolaiv oblast) came under Russian artillery and mortar fire. Russian forces also shelled Kherson with MLRS strikes.

During the day of February 17, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 14x concentrations of Russian troops, 3x anti-aircraft missile systems. On top of that, along the eastern sector, Ukrainian Air Force units destroyed as many as three Russian military aircraft: two SU-34 fighter-bombers and one SU-35 fighter jet.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 1x command post, 4x artillery systems, 4x ammunition depots, 1x electronic warfare stations of the Russian invaders.