Russia’s war on Ukraine. 08.08.2023

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: 

• Ukrainian Defense Forces continued offensive actions on at least three sectors of the front line, developing success in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
• The Russian “Tsentr” operational grouping became active in the Lyman direction. This coincided with the visit of the head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, General Gerasimov, to the forward command post of the “Tsentr” grouping;
• Considering the Russian operational setup and the allocation of its reserves across the front line, the Russian military command believes that the primary thrust of the “Tavriya” Operational Grouping will be directed towards the Berdyansk direction.
• The Russian 34th separate motorized rifle brigade has relocated its main forces from southwest of Pryiutne to the Remivka-Volodyne sector. This withdrawal and redeployment of the 2nd echelon of the enemy’s “Vostok” grouping (including the 34th and 136th separate motorized rifle brigades, 143rd motorized rifle regiment, 336th separate marines brigade of the Baltic Fleet, the 5th separate tank brigade, the 218th tank regiment) along the Novozlatopil – Remivka – Volodyne – Staromlynivka – Kermenchyk line indicate a possible Russian retreat from their positions in the Berdyansk direction.
• Units of the enemy’s 15th, 21st, and 30th separate motorized rifle bridges stopped after trying to advance in the direction of Borova;
• The Ukrainian Defense Forces not only stabilized the situation at the Russian bridgehead on the Chornyi Zherebets River but also significantly diminished it in the direction of Karmazynivka, forcing the enemy’s 21st separate motorized rifle brigade to retreat from their positions.
• The Ukrainian strikes on the bridges over Chonhar and Henichesk were aimed at disrupting Russian plans and strategies and hindering the ability of Russian forces to deliver supplies and personnel to the front.

Change in the line of contact (LoC):  

• Over 37 combat engagements took place in different directions.
• On the Kupyansk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled Russian attacks in the areas of Synkivka, east of Petropavlivka, north of Ivanivka of Kharkiv Oblast and south of Novoselivske, near Novoyehorivka, Serhiyivka, and Nadia of Luhansk Oblast.
• Russian forces advanced deep into the defense of Ukrainian Forces near Vilshany and captured Ukrainian positions near Karmazynivka. Units of the Russian 1st tank army repelled a Ukrainian attack near Novoselivske and continued to hold this village.
• The Russian command escalated its efforts in the Lyman Pershyi – Synkivka direction in an attempt to penetrate closer to Kupyansk. The 25th and 138th separate motorized rifle brigades attempted to advance towards Synkivka while also operating along the Oskil River from the north. However, the Ukrainian Defense Forces maintained control over Synkivka, and the enemy attacks were successfully repelled.
• The 1st and 15th motorized rifle regiments of the enemy’s 2nd motorized rifle division are gearing up for an attack from the northwestern area of Pershotravneve towards Petropavlivka. This offensive is planned to coincide with the actions of the 6th Army, which is operating in the direction of Synkivka.
• On the Lyman direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces unsuccessfully attacked in the area of Kreminna and near Torske.
• Russian forces attacked unsuccessfully in the Serebryansk forest area and near Bilohorivka.
• On the Bakhmut direction, Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in Andriivka, Kurdyumivka, Diliyivka and Druzhba areas of Donetsk Oblast.
• Ukrainian Defense Forces attacked in the area between Yahidne and Berkhivka; combat continues near Klishchiivka, Andriivka and Kurdyumivka.
• On the Avdiivka direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces effectively repelled the attacks of Russian troops in the Avdiivka area, and continued to hold back their advance in the Maryinka and Krasnohorivka areas.
• Zaporizhzhia direction:
  • Tokmak direction (Robotyne): Russian forces made unsuccessful attempts to restore the lost position in the Robotyne area.
  • Berdyansk direction (Velyka Novosilka): Russian troops repelled the Ukrainian attack on Urozhaine. The Russian attack to regain lost positions near Staromorske was repulsed by units of the “Tavriya” Operational Grouping.
  • The 247th air assault regiment of the 7th air assault division initiated a counterattack to the west of Staromayorske. In the Pryiutne region, units from the Russian 394th and 71st motorized rifle regiments made unsuccessful attempts to repel the advance of the forward units of the “Tavriya” Operational Grouping, aiming to prevent a complete encirclement of the village. East of Urozhaine, the enemy’s 60^th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade’s counterattack, supported by the “Cascade” battalion of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the so-called “DPR,” also proved unsuccessful.
  • Units of the “Tavriya” Operational Grouping entered Urozhaine simultaneously from the north and west, effectively crossing the Mokri Yaly River.
• Kherson direction: Ukrainian Defense forces intensified UAV reconnaissance and counter-battery fire in Kherson Oblast. The “Shaman” battalion of the Main Intelligence Directorate continues operations on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River.
• In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, there were 4 Russian ships on combat duty in the Black Sea, 1 in the Sea of Azov, 8 in the Mediterranean, including 2 cruise missile carriers. The total salvo is 24 Kalibr cruise missiles. 

Change in enemy disposition:

• Airborne units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (probably the 7th air assault division) are redeployed from Kherson Oblast to the area of Robotyne. Units of the Chechen “Vostok-Akhmat” battalion operate in the area of Orikhiv. 

Possible operation situation developments: 

• The Russian command will soon begin the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Pryiutne – Urozhaine – Zavitne Bazhanya area to the Novozlatopil – Remivka – Volodyne – Staromlynivka – Kermenchyk line.

Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 08.08.23 

Personnel – almost 250,800 people (+560);

Tanks – 4,254 (+10);

Armored combat vehicles – 8,278 (+8);

Artillery systems – 4,996 (+19);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 709 (0);

Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 468 (+1);

Vehicles and fuel tanks –7,460 (+9);

Aircraft – 315 (0);

Helicopters – 312 (+1);

UAV operational and tactical level – 4,158 (+4);

Intercepted cruise missiles – 1,377 (0);

Boats/ships – 18 (0).

Humanitarian:

• Based on the report from the Oblast Military Administrations during the 9 a.m. briefing, 8 regions of Ukraine were subjected to Russian shelling. Russian forces are notably active in attacking the Kupyansk district of Kharkiv Oblast, the Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and the city of Kherson. Additionally, there has been an escalation in shelling frequency in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Over the past day, at least 11 people died, and 115 people were injured. 
• On the evening of August 7, Russian forces launched two missile strikes on Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast: at least 7 people were killed, and 88 were injured. Among the injured are 29 police officers, 7 rescuers and 2 children. One multistory residential building was hit directly, 12 residential buildings were damaged. Notably, the initial strike targeted civilian infrastructure, while the second strike targeted the rescue services that had arrived at the scene.
• Since the beginning of the full-scale war, at least 78 rescuers have been killed by Russian shelling in Ukraine, and another 280 have been injured, according to Colonel Oleksandr Horunzhy, the spokesperson of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. He underscored the fact that these rescuers are safeguarded by international conventions, as they do not engage in combat operations but rather dedicate themselves to saving lives and providing aid.
• So far, 70 National Guard soldiers from military unit #3041 who were captured by the Russian army at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant have returned as a result of POW exchanges. However, there are still 107 soldiers currently held by the Russians, as reported by Commander of the National Guard, Oleksandr Pivnenko.
• According to Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar, Russian occupation forces try to identify pro-Ukrainian citizens cooperating with the Defense Forces of Ukraine. This effort is particularly evident in Kakhovka and other localities within Kherson Oblast. The Russian forces have disseminated misleading information about their withdrawal and have moved around a large amount of military equipment. Concurrently, Russian agents have sought to elicit candid discussions from residents, subsequently transmitting this information to the occupation “law enforcement agencies.” Additionally, the occupiers have deliberately disrupted connections to Russian mobile and landline internet service providers. They have then deployed specialized electronic equipment vehicles to survey the streets to detect the operation of information transmitters.
• Moscow has introduced revised history textbooks featuring extensively rewritten chapters, notably starting from the 1970s. Among the alterations is a new chapter about the war in Ukraine, referred to as a “special military operation”. Vladimir Medinskyi, an aide to the Russian President and co-author of the textbook, highlighted that it will be designated as the single official state textbook on history for high school students. 

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