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Russo-Ukraine War - 04 April 2024 - Day 771

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 across the front line, reported Russian attacks were nine per cent lower in March 2024 compared with February 2024, falling from approximately 2,340 to 2,120. The number of reported attacks on the Avdiivka axis made up a third of all attacks in February, when the town fell to Russian forces, but fell to a quarter in March.

Reported Russian attacks to the south-west of Donetsk City rose from 721 in February to 806 in March, accounting for 38 per cent of all attacks across the front line. Despite this effort, Russia did not make any notable gains in the area, and continues to contest small settlements including Novomykhailivka, Heorhiivka, and Urozhaine.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that on April 4, 57x tactical engagements were reported.

Russian forces launched a total of 2x missile and 61x air strikes, 49x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks have killed and wounded civilians. Residential apartment blocks and private houses as well as other infrastructure were destroyed or damaged.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of the formation of Russian offensive groups were found.
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 settlements of Volfyne (Sumy oblast) and Ohirtseve (Kharkiv oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Popivka (Chernihiv oblast), Bachivs'k, and Ulanove (Sumy oblast).
Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces did not conduct any offensive (assault) operations. The Russian invaders fired artillery and mortars at around 15x settlements, including Syn'kivka, Stepova Novoselivka, and Kotlyarivka (Kharkiv oblast).
Lyman axis: the Ukrainian troops repelled 4x Russian attacks in the vicinity of Terny and Yampolivka (Donetsk oblast). With the air support, Russian forces attempted to break through the defense of Ukrainian troops in that area. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Nevs'ke (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Yampolivka, and Tors'ke (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian troops repelled more than 20x attacks in the vicinities of Bilohorivka, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke (Luhansk oblast), Spirne, Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske, Stupochky, Klishchiivka, and Andriivka (Donetsk oblast). With the air support, Russian forces attempted to improve their tactical position in that area. Also, the Russian adversary launched air strikes in the vicinity of settlement of Druzhba (Donetsk oblast). More than 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Bohdanivka, Kalynivka, and Chasiv Yar (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 2x attacks in the vicinities of Pervomais'ke and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces attempted to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their positions in that area. The Russian adversary launched air strikes in the vicinities of Oleksandropil', Ocheretyne, Keramik, Novobakhmutivka, and Berdychi (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Novokalynove, Novobakhmutivka, Semenivka, and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast).
Novopavlivka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian forces in the vicinities of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Kostyantynivka, Novomykhailivka, Velyka Novosilka, and Urozhaine. With the air support, Russian forces made 19x attempts to break through the defense of Ukrainian troops in that area. Also, Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinity of Volodymyrivka (Donetsk oblast). More than 10x settlements, including Heorhiivka, Paraskoviivka, Kostyantynivka, and Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Orikhiv axis: on April 4, with the air support, Russian forces launched 3x unsuccessful attempts to attack the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the vicinities of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast) and northwest of Verbove (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Also, Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 20x settlements, including Poltavka, Malynivka, Chervone, and Shcherbaky (Zaporizhzhia oblast), came under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Kherson axis: Russian forces does not abandon its intention to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their bridgeheads on the left bank of the Dnipro River. On April 4, Russian forces launched 5x attacks on the positions of the Ukrainian troops in the vicinity of Krynky (Kherson oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Zolota Balka, Kizomys, and Antonivka (Kherson oblast).

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 1x concentration of troops, weapons, and military equipment, 2x artillery systems, 1x radar station, 1x electronic warfare station , and 2x air defense systems of the Russian invaders.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces have improved the situation along the front line and engaged AFU manpower and hardware close to Rozovka, Raygorodka, Zhovtnevoye (Lugansk People's Republic), and Terny (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 125 Ukrainian troops and four motor vehicles.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and hit manpower and hardware of the 28th Mechanised, 92nd Assault Brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the 241st Territorial Defence Brigade near Kleshcheyevka, Kurdyumovka, and Krasnogorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU lost up to 340 Ukrainian troops, one tank, and eight motor vehicles.

In the course of the counter-battery warfare, two 152-mm Msta-B howitzers, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, two 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, three 122-mm D-30 howitzers, as well as three AFU ammunition depots were eliminated.

In Avdeyevka direction, the units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have improved the situation along the front line. They defeated the units of the 24th, 47th mechanised, 3rd assault, and 25th airborne brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Orlovka, Berdychi, and Tonenkoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

One counter-attack launched by an assault detachment of the AFU 25th Airborne Brigade was repelled close to Pervomayskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy lost up to 305 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, and one U.S.-made 155-mm Paladin self-propelled artillery system.

In South Donetsk direction, the Vostok Group of Forces' units improved the tactical situation and inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of the AFU 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade, the 72nd Mechanised Brigade, as well as the 128th Territorial Defence Brigade near Vodyanoye, Storozhevoye, and Ugledar (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 105 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, and one 122-mm BM-21 Grad MLRS combat vehicle during the day.

In Kherson direction, the units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on the 28th Mechanised and 128th Mountain Assault Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Mirnoye and Pyatikhatki (Zaporozhye region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 35 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, as well as the Grad MLRS.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have been eliminated: an ammunition depot, a temporary deployment area of foreign mercenaries close to Merefa (Kharkov region), as well as manpower and military hardware of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 135 areas.

Russian air defence facilities have shot down one Su-27 airplane of Ukrainian Air Force near Kramatorsk (Donetsk People's Republic), destroyed 196 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, and intercepted 18 HIMARS MLRS projectiles.

In total, 582 airplanes, 270 helicopters, 18,734 unmanned aerial vehicles, 495 surface-to-air missile systems, 15,687 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,264 MLRS vehicles, 8,654 field artillery guns and mortars, and 20,596 special military vehicles have been neutralised since the beginning of the special military operation.