Russia’s war on Ukraine. 07.08.2023

Operational situation

The Defense Forces continue their offensive operation on the Melitopol and Berdyansk directions, consolidating their positions at achieved frontlines and engaging in counter-battery warfare. The adversary concentrates their main efforts on the Kupyansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, and Avdiivka directions.

General conclusion: 

• The Defense Forces continued offensive actions on at least three sectors of the front line, developing success in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
• The Defense Forces’ strikes on transit points will severely disrupt the movement of Russian personnel, equipment, and machinery from the occupied Crimea to crucial enemy’s defensive operations in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, potentially causing a sustained disruption for an indefinite period.
• The blockade campaign targeting enemy military facilities is intended to undermine its material and technical support, weaken its defensive capabilities, and create advantageous circumstances for the offensive actions of the Defense Forces.
• Russian forces once again targeted Starokonstiantyniv airfield, where a tactical aviation brigade with cruise missile capabilities is stationed.
• Artillery strikes from both Russian and Ukrainian forces impede either side from establishing positions or seizing the initiative near Klishchiivka.
• On the Tokmak direction, the enemy’s 58th Army command is grappling with a significant shortage of reserves.
• The enemy has exhausted its capabilities to regain control over Staromayorske. Units of the enemy’s 60th separate motorized rifle brigade are retreating up to a distance of 2.5 km daily.
• Reducing the width of the defensive line of the enemy’s 60th separate motorized rifle brigade with the deployment of the 247th air assault regiment to this line is an effort to consolidate the brigade’s primary forces in Urozhaine.
• The enemy’s command is avoiding deploying military units from its second echelon into the operation to stabilize the situation in the area of Staromlynivka.
• The enemy’s command will concentrate its main efforts on the Berdyansk direction to maintain the defense sector in the Staromlynivka area.
• The adept actions of the Defense Forces have effectively removed the 35th Army of the enemy from active combat operations.

Change in the line of contact (LoC):  

• There have been more than 50 combat engagements on various fronts. 
• On the Kupyansk direction, the Defense Forces effectively thwarted enemy attacks east of Petropavlivka, while their own attacks near Synkivka, Novoselivske, and southwest of Kovalivka, as well as in the vicinity of Serebryansk Forest, were unsuccessful.

• On the Lyman direction, Russian forces unsuccessfully attacked near Petropavlivka and Bilohorivka. 
• Russian assault groups from the 6th Army managed to advance into Ukrainian defense positions near Vilshana, taking control of Novoselivske and displacing Defense Forces units from their last positions in the western part of the settlement; intense battles continue for the heights south of Novoselivske.
• On the Bakhmut direction, the Defense Forces are holding back the enemy northeast of Diliyivka. 
• Russian units repelled Ukrainian attacks near Klishchiivka and Berkhivka. 
• On the Avdiivka direction, the Defense Forces effectively repelled Russian forces’ assaults in the Avdiivka vicinity and are currently maintaining their defensive stance against enemy advances in the Maryinka and Krasnohorivka areas.

• The enemy repelled Defense Forces’ attacks near Pervomaiske.
• Zaporizhzhia direction: 
  • Tokmak direction (Robotyne): The forward units of the “Tavriya” Operational Grouping continue to expand the contact line with the enemy’s main defense line in the Verbove area. 
  • The enemy is deploying both motorized rifle regiments of the Territorial Troops (1429th and 1430th), along with all four available BARS detachments (1st, 3rd, 11th, 14th), as well as detachments from the 22nd and 45th separate SOF brigades in this sector. The 100th separate ranger brigade of the 58th Army is being relocated to the Verbove area and is likely to be introduced into combat operations along the Novopokrovka – Verbove sector after the withdrawal of the 70th motorized rifle regiment from Novopokrovka.
  • Berdyansk direction (Velyka Novosilka): The 247th air assault regiment of the 7th air assault division of the enemy continues its retreat under pressure from the “Tavriya” Operational Grouping in the northwestern area of Zavitne Bazhannia village. The enemy is making every effort to maintain control over Urozhaine and is consistently launching counterattacks in the northeastern direction. In the Pryiutne area, which is defended by the enemy’s 394th and 71st motorized rifle regiments, the forces of the “Tavriya” Operational Grouping are engaging in active maneuvers, aiming to encircle the village from the northeast.
• Kherson direction: Repairs are underway on the bridge over the Chonhar River, leading to traffic closure on this route. All traffic is being rerouted through the Armyansk and Perekop checkpoints on the M17 Armyansk – Oleshky and T2202 Armyansk – Nova Kakhovka routes. Meanwhile, the Dzhankoy checkpoint on the M18 route remains closed for all movement. However, normal traffic operations are ongoing through the Kerch Bridge and the ferry crossing over the Kerch Strait.
• In the Black Sea-Azov Sea operational maritime area, the following enemy ships are on combat duty: in the Black Sea – 3 ships, in the Azov Sea – 1 ship, in the Mediterranean Sea – 8 ships, of which 2 are cruise missile carriers. The total salvo of Kalibr cruise missiles is 24 rockets.

Change in enemy disposition:  

• Units of the 9th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 1st Army Corps are engaged in operations in the Avdiivka direction; units from the 5th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 1st Army Corps are currently operating in the Maryinka direction.
• The enemy’s 5th separate tank brigade is concentrated near Kermenchyk village. 
• The “Alga” volunteer battalion, originating from Tatarstan, has been operational in Bakhmut for the last four months. Prior to this, it had participated in combat actions in Pisky and Vuhledar of Donetsk Oblast, resulting in notable casualties during an unsuccessful assault near Vuhledar. The battalion has been relocated to Russian territory for recovery and recuperation.

Escalation indicators:

• Any maneuver by the enemy’s reserves in the southern direction will lead to a reduction of forces in other areas, possibly prompting offensive actions by the Defense Forces.

Possible operation situation developments: 

• North of Klishchiivka, the enemy is preparing a counterattack with the forces of the 102nd motorized rifle regiment (150th motorized rifle division). Between Klishchiivka and Andriivka, the enemy is preparing a sequence of counterattacks with the forces of the 72nd separate motorized rifle brigade, supported by the 68th tank regiment (150th motorized rifle division). The enemy’s command plans to deploy the 105th rifle regiment of the mobilization reserve in the area of Khromove.
• The enemy’s command is preparing a series of counterattacks employing the 291st and 70th Motorized Rifle Regiments to the west of Robotyne along the Novodanylivka – Novoprokopivka road and in the area of Novopokrovka or to the south of this village.

Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 07.08.23 

Personnel – almost 250,240 people (+540);

Tanks – 4,244 (+7);

Armored combat vehicles – 8,270 (+8);

Artillery systems – 4,977 (+12);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 709 (+4);

Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 467 (+1);

Vehicles and fuel tanks – 7,451 (+10);

Aircraft – 315 (0);

Helicopters – 311 (0);

UAV operational and tactical level – 4,154 (+28);

Intercepted cruise missiles – 1,377 (+18);

Boats/ships – 18 (0).

Humanitarian, general:

• According to information provided by the Oblast Military Administrations at the 9 a.m. roundup, the Russian forces had attacked 9 Ukrainian Oblasts over the past day. Two people are reported dead, and 16 wounded.  
• Another 22 Ukrainian POWs returned home from Russian captivity, including two officers, enlisted and non-commissioned officers. In total, 2,598 Ukrainians have returned home so far. This is the 48th successful exchange.
• In the Novodanylivka area of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russian forces fired two artillery barrages with munitions containing a chemical substance, presumably chloropicrin, the commander of the “Tavriya” Operational Grouping Oleksandr Tarnavskyi said. There were no victims. 
• According to Petro Andryushchenko, the advisor to the Mariupol city mayor, the Russian occupation authorities continue to steal Ukrainian grain and transport it to Russia by sea. Mezhdurechensk ship loaded with Ukrainian grain left the port of Mariupol on August 8 and arrived in the Russian Rostov-on-Don the next day. 
• As stated by Andriy Demchenko, the spokesperson for the State Border Service, Russian subversion and reconnaissance groups are infiltrating into Ukrainian territories within the Sumy and Chernihiv Oblasts from across the Russian border. Their intent is to identify the Ukrainian armed forces’ positions and target Ukrainian civilians. This activity occurs alongside the ongoing daily shelling of border regions from within Russian Federation territory.
• The Russian occupiers closed the Chonhar Bridge; traffic was stopped; the bridge connecting Henichesk and Arabatska Spit is open to alternating traffic on one lane. Military equipment cannot move, and mostly civilian vehicles drive over the bridge. Still, locals reported that a few armored personnel carriers passed by, Serhiy Khlan, a member of the Kherson Oblast Council, said.
• Fedir Venislavskyi, the President’s representative in the Verkhovna Rada, stated to Ukrinform that under the scope of the legal martial law, there are no ongoing discussions among parliament or other government members regarding elections in Ukraine.

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