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Russo-Ukraine War - 24 March 2024 - Day 760

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 on 18 March 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the construction of a railway line from Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia through the Russian temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to Crimea. According to Putin, the new line will ultimately reach Sevastopol in southern Crimea and provide redundancy for the Kerch bridge. Although Putin claimed the first completed section restores access to Berdyansk, the pre-existing rail connection used to complete this journey passes through territory vulnerable to interdiction by Ukrainian long-range precision strike systems.

The new railway line, south of Donetsk, between Kolosky and Kamianka, is nearly 60km in length and took eight months to build. It is almost certainly one of the largest infrastructure projects Russia has carried out in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and re-establishes the rail connection denied by the fighting outside of Donetsk.

It is likely one of the immediate objectives of the new line will be to support Russian activity in Mariupol. The port city, destroyed by Russia in 2022, contains the Azovstal steel works and other heavy industry facilities that, although currently severely damaged, Russia may seek to repair and exploit in the future.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of March 24, there were 52x tactical engagements.

Russian forces launched a total of 32x missile and 47x air strikes, 48x MLRS attacks on positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks have killed and wounded civilians. Residential apartment blocks and private houses got destroyed and damaged.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of formation of an offensive group.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia maintains its military presence in the russian areas bordering Ukraine. Russian troops conduct subversion in order to prevent the deployment of Ukrainian troops to threatened axes. Russia continues shelling of Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the concentration of mining operations along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Peremoha and Popivka (Sumy oblast). More than 15x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Bleshnya (Chernihiv oblast), Sorokyne, Bachivs'k, Starykove, Volfyne, Popivka (Sumy oblast), Veterynarne, Borysivka, Ambarne, Strilecha (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: no Russian offensive operations reported. The Russian invaders fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Syn'kivka, Ivanivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast).
Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 5x assaults in the vicinity of Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), where the Russian enemy, using air attacks, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Serebryans'ke forestry (Luhansk oblast), Ozerne (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Makiivka, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Serebryanka, Spirne (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 5x attacks in the vicinities of Klishchiivka, Bohdanivka, Andriivka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Zalizne (Donetsk oblast). Around 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Bohdanivka, Vasyukivka, Chasiv Yar (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 8x attacks in the vicinities of Berdychi, east of Umans'ke, Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast). The Russian occupiers launched air strikes in the vicinities of Ocheretyne and Novokalynove (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Oleksandropil', Keramik, Novobakhmutivka, Semenivka, (Donetsk oblast).
Novopavlivka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to block Russian forces near Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast). In that area, the Russian invaders, using air attacks, made 17x attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Paraskoviivka, Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast).
Orikhiv axis: Russian forces, with air support, conducted 2x attacks on positions of Ukrainian defenders in the vicinity of Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Makarivka, Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast), Malynivka (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 10x settlements, including Poltavka, Rivnopil', Charivne, Orikhiv, P'yatykhatky (Zaporizhzhia oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Kherson axis: Russian forces did not conduct offensive operations. The Russian occupiers launched MLRS strikes at the settlements of Kosats'ke, Ponyativka (Kherson oblast).

During the day of March 24, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 8x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment.

The Ukrainian Missile Forces hit 2x air defense systems, 3x artillery systems, 1x electronic warfare station of the Russian invaders.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the previous night the Russian Aerospace Forces have launched a group strike with long-range airborne precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles against facilities of the electric power industry, the gas industry, and assembly and testing sites for uncrewed boats.

As a result of the strike, the work of industrial enterprises for the manufacture and repair of weapons, military hardware, and ammunition has been disorganised, and foreign-made military equipment and means of destruction transferred to Ukraine by NATO countries have been destroyed.

All the goals of the strike have been reached.

In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces have defeated manpower and hardware of 14th, 32nd mechanised, and 57th motorised infantry brigades of the AFU close to Sinkovka (Kharkov region) and Terny (Donetsk People's Republic), and also have repelled three enemy counterattacks.

The AFU losses were up to 140 servicemen, one tank, two pickup trucks, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, one Msta-B howitzer, and two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems.

In Belgorod direction, Russian units continue to carry out measures to identify and destroy AFU sabotage and reconnaissance groups in the border areas of Ukraine.

As a result of the fire attack on AFU manpower and hardware, up to 40 servicemen, one Czech-made RM-70 Vampire MLRS combat vehicle, and one German-made Mars multiple-launch rocket system have been destroyed close to Potikhonovo and Zemlyanki (Kharkov region).

In Donetsk direction, as a result of active operations, units of the Yug Group of Forces have occupied more favourable lines, defeated the enemy near Kleshcheyevka, Krasnoye, and Kurdyumovka (Donetsk People's Republic), and also repelled a counterattack by formations of the 80th Air Assault Brigade of the AFU close to Krasnogorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 300 servicemen, one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M119 howitzer, one D-30 gun, and one field ammunition depot.

In Avdeyevka direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have improved their front line position as a result of successful actions and repelled nine counterattacks by assault groups of 24th, 47th mechanised, 57th motorised Infantry, 25th airborne, and 3rd assault brigades of the AFU close to Novgorodskoye, Shumy, Tonenkoye, Pervomayskoye, and Berdychi (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 360 troops, two tanks, five armoured fighting vehicles, and nine motor vehicles.

In the course of counter-battery warfare, one U.S.-made M777 howitzer, one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and one D-30 howitzer have been destroyed.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces have improved their tactical position and inflicted a fire defeat on formations of the 31st Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard near Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 140 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, five motor vehicles, one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, and one Rapira anti-tank gun.

In Kherson direction, units of the Dnepr Group of Forces have inflicted a fire defeat on manpower and hardware concentration areas of 65th mechanised and 128th mountain assault brigades of the AFU, the 35th Marine Brigade, as well as the 126th Territorial Defence Brigade near Pyatikhatki (Zaporozhye region), Gavrilovka, Ivanovka, and Tyaginka (Kherson region).

The AFU losses were up to 50 servicemen and three motor vehicles.

During counter-battery warfare, two U.S.-made M777 howitzers, one Msta-B howitzer, and one D-30 gun have been destroyed.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged ammunition and UAV storage depots, four P-18 radar stations for detecting and tracking aerial targets, one electronic warfare station, as well as manpower and military hardware of the AFU in 129 areas.

Air defence facilities have shot down 172 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as 11 Storm Shadow cruise missiles, three Neptune anti-ship missiles, four MALD aircraft guided missiles, and 22 HIMARS and Vampire multiple-launch rocket system projectiles.

In total, 577 airplanes and 270 helicopters, 16,908 unmanned aerial vehicles, 489 air defence missile systems, 15,587 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,256 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 8,514 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 20,153 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.