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Russo-Ukraine War - 26 March 2024 - Day 762

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 recruiting adverts have been posted for the new 44th Army Corps in Luga, in the newly-established Leningrad Military District. Russia is making efforts to expand its forces in the north-west of the country, as most of its forces remain dedicated to operations in Ukraine.

Russia will almost certainly have to decide whether new units such as the 44th Army Corps remain in their garrison locations once established, or if they are transferred to operations in Ukraine to maintain combat power there. Newly established units have previously been immediately committed to Ukraine, and it is almost certain that the need to sustain operations is hampering Russia's wider force expansion ambitions.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of March 26, there were 50x tactical engagements.

Russian forces launched a total of 4x missile and 52x air strikes, 43x 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: the adversary 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. Around 10x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Popivka, Iskryskivshchyna, Bilopillya, Velyka Pysarivka (Sumy oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: no Russian offensive operations reported. The Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Novojehorivka, Ivanivka, Kyslivka (Kharkiv oblast). The Russian invaders fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Syn'kivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Kotlyarivka (Kharkiv oblast).
Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 8x assaults in the vicinities of Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Yampolivka, and north of Vesele (Donetsk oblast), where Russian forces, using air attacks, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Yampolivka, Spirne (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 5x attacks in the vicinities of Bohdanivka, Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Kurdyumivka, Chasiv Yar (Donetsk oblast). Around 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Bohdanivka, Kalynivka, Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 7x attacks in the vicinities of Berdychi, Semenivka and Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast). The Russian occupiers launched air strikes in the vicinities of Berdychi and Novopokrovs'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Novobakhmutivka, Semenivka, Umans'ke, Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast).
Novopavlivka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to block Russian forces near Novomykhailivka, where the invaders, using air attacks, made 21x attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. The Russian occupiers launched air strikes in the vicinities of Krasnohorivka and Oleksandrivka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Paraskoviivka, Kostyantynivka (Donetsk oblast).
Orikhiv axis: Russian forces, with air support, conducted 4x attacks on positions of Ukrainian defenders in the vicinities of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast), Robotyne and northwest of Verbove (Zaporizhzhia oblast). The adversary launched an air strike in the vicinity of Malynivka (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 15x settlements, including Chervone, Bilohir'ya, Shcherbaky, P'yatykhatky (Zaporizhzhia oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Kherson axis: Russian forces executed 3x unsuccessful attacks on positions of Ukrainian defenders in the vicinity of Krynky (Kherson oblast). The Russian occupiers fired artillery and mortars at more than 10 settlements, including Solonchaky, Ivanivka, Tyahynka (Kherson oblast).

During the day of March 26, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 2x command posts, 8x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment.

The Ukrainian Missile Forces hit 1x air defense system, 1x artillery system, 1x ammunition depot of the Russian invaders.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that over the past 24 hours, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered a group strike by long-range sea-based and ground-based precision weaponry and unmanned aerial vehicles at decision-making centres, Ukrainian Security Service objects, defence industry enterprises, as well as deployment areas of Ukrainian nationalist formations and foreign mercenaries.

All the targets have been engaged. The goal of the strike has been achieved.

In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces inflicted losses on enemy units and improved the tactical situation along the front lines.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 20 Ukrainian troops and two motor vehicles.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on units of the AFU 54th, 93rd mechanised brigades, and 81st Airmobile Brigade near Belogorovka (Lugansk People's Republic), Kleshcheyevka, and Verkhnekamenka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to more than 425 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, and seven motor vehicles.

Moreover, four electronic warfare stations, one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery warfare station, and one U.S.-made M777 howitzer were neutralised.

In Avdeyevka direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces inflicted losses on enemy units and improved the tactical situation along the front lines.

Four counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 24th, 47th, 59th mechanised brigades, and 25th Airborne Brigade were repelled near Novgorodskoye, Vodyanoye, Pervomayskoye, Tonenkoye, and Berdichi (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 280 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, and six motor vehicles.

In the course of counter-battery warfare, two U.S.-made M777 howitzers, one UK-made AS-90 self-propelled artillery system, one D-20 howitzer, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system were wiped out.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces delivered strikes and repelled two counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 72nd Mechanised Brigade near Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 105 Ukrainian troops, five motor vehicles, two UK-made FH-70 howitzers, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system.

In Kherson direction, as a result of Dnepr Group of Forces' cohesive actions, the tactical situation along the front line was improved, and losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware clusters of the AFU 65th Mechanised Brigade and 108th Territorial Defence Brigade near Rabotino and Novosyolovka (Zaporozhye region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 50 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, and one U.S.-made M777 howitzer.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 114 areas during the day.

Over the past 24 hours, air defence units shot down 131 unmanned aerial vehicles, two S-200 surface-to-air guided missiles converted to hit ground targets, and 15 HIMARS and Vampire MLRS projectiles.

In total, 577 airplanes and 270 helicopters, 17,142 unmanned aerial vehicles, 489 air defence missile systems, 15,604 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,256 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,531 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 20,215 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.