Russia’s war on Ukraine. 26.08.2023

Operational situation

Ukrainian Defense Forces continue their offensive operation on the Melitopol direction, consolidating their positions on the achieved frontlines and engaging in counter-battery warfare.

The enemy conducted offensive actions along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, on the Avdiivka-Donetsk line, in the west of Donetsk Oblast, and advanced in certain sections of the front.

General conclusion: 

• The Ukrainian Defense Forces continued offensive actions on at least two sectors of the front, making progress in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
• After a month of intense battles and significant losses, Russian forces are redeploying newly formed brigades and divisions to the Kupyansk and Lyman directions to resume active offensive operations.
• The ability of fatigued Russian forces, worn down by combat, to sustain defense near Robotyne has significantly diminished.
• Systemic issues faced by Russian forces in Kherson Oblast, including supply shortages and frontal attacks on Ukrainian positions along the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, under heavy artillery fire and without support, have remained unresolved for an extended period. This has led to a significant decline in the morale and psychological state of the personnel of the enemy’s “Dniepr” Operational Group.

Change in the line of contact (LoC):  

• There were 40 combat engagements on various directions. 
• On the Kupyansk direction, the enemy’s 21st Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade advanced to the west of Kovalivka. The 15th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade conducted unsuccessful offensive actions near Novoyehorivka. 
• The Ukrainian Defense Forces attacked near Synkivka, Serhiyivka, Kuzmyne, Torske, and in the Serebryansk forest, but did not significantly improve their tactical position.
• On the Bakhmut direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continued their offensive actions south of Bakhmut and attacked near Kurdyumivka and Klishchiivka. 
• The enemy’s 123rd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 1st Army Corps attacked and made some progress near Vesele. The enemy repelled attacks by units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces near Zaliznyanske and Klishchiivka. Due to the high intensity of the combat operations, the enemy is redeploying forces from other parts of the front to Bakhmut. 
• On the Avdiivka direction, the enemy continued local attacks along the Avdiivka – Donetsk line, but did not advance. The enemy’s attempts to attack to the south of Avdiivka, near Pervomaiske, Maryinka, and to the north-east of Novomykhailivka were unsuccessful.
• Zaporizhzhia direction: 
  • Tokmak direction (Robotyne): The “Tavriya” Operational Grouping achieved successes on the Novodanylivka – Novoprokopivka and Mala Tokmachka – Ocheretuvate directions; advanced east of Robotyne and to the west of Verbove, and continued developing their advance towards Novoprokopivka. 
  • Berdyansk direction (Velyka Novosilka): The enemy repelled an assault by the “Tavriya” Operational Grouping near Solodke. The enemy’s 116th Rifle Regiment of the 1st Army Corps unsuccessfully attacked near Vuhledar. 
  • Units of the “Tavriya” Operational Grouping attacked near Pryiutne and Urozhaine, attempting to advance towards Staromlynivka.
• Kherson direction: Units of the enemy’s 205th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 49th Army are defending on the islands in the Dnipro Delta and are suffering significant losses from artillery fire.
• In the Black Sea-Azov Sea operational area, the enemy had the following combat readiness: in the Black Sea – 8 ships; in the Azov Sea – 2 ships, including 1 cruise missile carrier; in the Mediterranean – 8 ships, including 2 cruise missile carriers. The total salvo is 32 Kalibr missiles. 

Change in enemy disposition:

• The [Russian] state security unit “Okhrana” is safeguarding the infrastructure and strategic objects in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region.

Possible operation situation developments: 

• The enemy’s command will continue attempting active actions on the Kupyansk direction to compel the Ukrainian Defense Forces command to allocate a portion of its strategic reserves to this sector.
• The success of the enemy’s defense on the Berdyansk direction will depend on the outcomes of battles in the area encompassing Urozhaine-Novodonetske-Kermenchyk-Zavitne Bazhanya.
• The command of the “Tavriya” Operational Grouping will launch strong attacks on the enemy’s 394th Motorized Rifle Regiment positions near Pryiutne and the 131st Rifle Regiment of the 1st Army Corps near Novodonetske. These actions will prevent the enemy from reinforcing its positions in the Staromlynivka defensive sector and effectively employing its reserves.
• In the conditions of the fire superiority, the “Tavriya” Operational Grouping could swiftly crush the enemy in the Staromlynivka. This could be achieved if it ties up the enemy’s 60th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade defending in Zavitne Bazhanya, while also safeguarding its own left flank from enemy attacks along the Novodonetske-Kermenchyk line and ensuring advance along the Urozhaine-Staromlynivka road with engineering support.
• In the event of a breakthrough by the forces of the “Tavriya” Operational Grouping into the Staromlynivka defensive sector, one can anticipate actions by the enemy’s 336th Separate Marines Brigade towards Remivka-Volodyne, as well as movements by the 5th Separate Tank Brigade in the direction of Novodonetske-Kermenchyk.

Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 26.08.23 

Personnel – almost 260,270 people (+640);

Tanks – 4,390 (+12);

Armored combat vehicles – 8,539 (+18);

Artillery systems – 5,379 (+18);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 726 (+2);

Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 497 (+2);

Vehicles and fuel tanks –7,823 (+33);

Aircraft – 315 (0);

Helicopters – 316 (0);

UAV operational and tactical level – 4,367 (+11);

Intercepted cruise missiles – 1,411 (+2);

Boats/ships – 18 (0).

Humanitarian, general, temporarily occupied territories:

• According to information provided by the MOD’s Situation Center, over the past day, Russian forces shelled 9 regions of Ukraine. 145 towns and villages and 57 infrastructure objects were attacked with various types of weapons. 1 person was reported killed in Zaporizhzhya Oblast, and at least 2 people were reported injured in Zaporizhzhya and Kherson Oblasts over the past day.
• 11 more Ukrainian children could return to Ukraine from Russia and the temporarily occupied territories. The Save Ukraine Foundation carried out the evacuation. The foundation said that a total of 161 children have returned home.
• On August 23, up to 1,500 Russian occupation forces personnel of Buryat nationality entered the village of Osypenko in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. They were illegally quartered in civilian residences alongside local residents and in a local hospital, as stated by the Ukrainian General Staff.
• According to the National Resistance Center of the MoD of Ukraine, Russian authorities have initiated the return of Tokmak and Vasylivka residents, who were previously deported to Berdyansk, to their original homes. Local de facto administrators announced the reopening of schools along the contact line, despite the presence of the Russian army in them. The Center noted that the enemy exploited the “evacuation” process to issue passports to residents, as those “evacuated” are eligible for housing and social benefits only with Russian citizenship. “Now they are being forcibly returned to their homes where hostilities are taking place,” the National Resistance Center reported.
• In the temporarily occupied territories, excluding the Crimean Peninsula, 3.7 million tons of Ukrainian grain were stolen, including 1.4 million tons stolen in Zaporizhzhia. Farmers are forced to sell their products at fixed prices significantly below market prices. Subsequently, the grain is resold to businesses affiliated with local occupation authorities, who then sell it at market rates within the Russian Federation, as reported by the National Resistance Center.

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