Russia’s war on Ukraine. 24.11.2023

Operational situation

In the operational zone of the Ukrainian Operational-Strategic Group of Forces (OSG) “Khortytsia” on the Kupyansk direction, the enemy conducted an assault operation, supported by aviation, in the Synkivka area, where the Defense Forces repelled three attacks. On the Lyman direction, the enemy did not engage in offensive (assault) actions. On the Bakhmut direction, the adversary conducted unsuccessful assault actions near Klishchiivka and Andriivka. Ukrainian troops repelled 11 attacks in this area. The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue assault operations south of Bakhmut, inflicting losses on the enemy in personnel and equipment and consolidating their positions on the achieved front lines.

In the “Tavriya” OSG operational zone on the Avdiivka direction, the enemy, with aviation support, persists in attempts to encircle Avdiivka. Ukrainian forces steadfastly maintain the defense, inflicting losses on the enemy forces. The enemy’s offensive actions east of Novokalynove, Avdiivka, and Pervomaiske were unsuccessful. The Defense Forces repelled 20 attacks in this area. On the Maryinka direction, Ukrainian troops repelled 14 enemy attacks in the areas of Maryinka, Heorhiivka, and Novomykhailivka. On the Shakhtarsk direction, the enemy conducted unsuccessful assault actions southwest of Staromayorske. On the Zaporizhzhia direction, the enemy carried out assault actions west of Verbove without success. The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue the offensive operation on the Melitopol direction, inflicting losses on the Russian forces in personnel and equipment and wearing down the enemy along the entire front line.

In the operational zone of the “Odesa” OSG on the Kherson direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold their positions on the left bank of the Dnipro, conduct counter-battery warfare, and inflict damage on the enemy’s rear areas. 

Russian forces continued offensive operations on the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, northwest of Horlivka, near Avdiivka, west and southwest of Donetsk, on the border of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts, in the western part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and east bank in Kherson Oblast. They advanced south of Synkivka.

General conclusion:

• The adversary continues its offensive operation in the area of Avdiivka, increasing efforts north of Bakhmut, attempting to break through to Kupyansk in the vicinity of Synkivka, and preparing to deploy combat actions on the Lyman direction. Russian forces are on a defense stance on the Berdyansk and Tokmak directions and persist in attempts to reduce the footholds of the “Odesa” OSG on the left bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast.

Change in the line of contact (LoC):  

• There were 64 combat engagements on various fronts.
• On the Kupyansk direction, the enemy made limited advances to the east of Synkivka and in the area of Serebryansk Forest. They unsuccessfully attacked near Synkivka, Ivanivka, northeast and east of Petropavlivka, and in the direction of Siversk.
• The “Khortytsia” OSG forces attacked near Kupyansk and to the south of Kreminna.
• On the Bakhmut direction, the “Khortytsia” OSG forces repelled Russian assaults near Klishchiivka. 
• The enemy successfully entrenched on the northern outskirts of Klishchiivka and attacked Ukrainian positions on tactical heights near Klishchiivka, Khromove, and Bohdanivka.

• On the Avdiivka direction, Russian forces repelled Ukrainian infantry attacks near the waste heaps northwest of Horlivka, advanced to the southeast outskirts of Avdiivka, and carried out over 22 unsuccessful assaults to the east of Novobakhmutivka, north of Lastochkine, near Severne, and Pervomaiske. 
• Russian forces significantly intensified assault operations near Avdiivka, with the number of Russian strikes increasing by 25-30% in the last 24 hours. Over the past week, Russian forces stormed Ukrainian positions on the Maryinka direction over 150 times and launched over 300 strikes using strike UAVs.
• The “Tavriya” OSG forces repelled enemy counterattacks northwest of Horlivka in the Pivdenne area and 18 Russian assaults near Maryinka and Novomykhailivka.
• Berdyansk direction: the “Tavriya” OSG forces attacked near Pryiutne and repelled Russian attacks west of Staromayorske. 
• Russian forces are attempting to advance near Urozhaine and counterattacked toward Pryiutne and Staromayorske.
• Tokmak direction: the “Tavriya” OSG forces continue offensive operations on the Melitopol direction, attacking near Novofedorivka.
• Russian forces repelled 3 Ukrainian attacks north of Novoprokopivka, west of Verbove, near Robotyne, and launched unsuccessful assaults near Robotyne and Kamianske.
• Kherson direction: the “Odesa” OSG forces hold positions on the left bank of the Kherson Oblast, including in Krynky, near Poyma, Pishchanivka, Pidstepne, Antoniv Highway, and the railway bridge, and are active west of Oleshky. 
• Russian forces are advancing toward Krynky from the east, slightly narrowing the Ukrainian foothold near Krynky.
• In the Black Sea-Azov Sea operational naval area, there were 2 enemy ships on combat duty in the Black Sea, 1 enemy ship in the Azov Sea, and 1 enemy ship in the Mediterranean Sea, with a total salvo of 8 Kalibr cruise missiles.

Change in enemy disposition:

• In the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, there is a deployment of the Russian National Guard federal military units (“Rosgvardiya,”) consisting of 4 territorial-operational groups (“Vostok (East),” “Zapad(West),” “Yug(South),” and “Krym(Crimea)”). These groups include 5 Battalion-Tactical groups, 44 tactical groups, and 111 consolidated units of the Russian police, with 76 OMON and 35 SOBR units. The formation comprises 27.9 thousand personnel, 529 armored vehicles, 200 artillery pieces and mortars, and 20 helicopters.

Possible operation situation developments: 

• Russian forces are unlikely to completely regain the initiative in the forthcoming months, and the probability of them executing a large-scale offensive, capable of disrupting the Defense Force’s resource allocation for counteroffensive operations remains improbable.
• The adversary’s military command intends to deploy units from the 35th, 55th, and 74th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades of the 41st Combined Arms Army within the “Center” operational grouping, along with the 67th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 25th Combined Arms Army, to launch an offensive near Nevske, Terny, and Yampolivka.
• The “Tavriya” OSG has two viable routes for breaching towards Tokmak: either through Novoprokopivka – Solodka Balka – Chervonohirka or through Myrne – crossing the first position of the primary defense line in the area of Peremozhne – Ternuvate – Stepove, and further, through positions along the Novohorivka – Chystopillia line in the direction of Pokrovske.

Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 24.11.23  

Personnel – almost 322,900 people (+1,100); 

Tanks – 5,496 (+30); 

Armored combat vehicles – 10,256 (+32); 

Artillery systems – 7,833 (+31);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 904 (+2);

Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 595 (+4);

Vehicles and fuel tanks – 10,230 (+32);

Aircraft – 323 (0);

Helicopters – 324 (0);

UAV operational and tactical level – 5,800 (+1);

Intercepted cruise missiles – 1,564 (0);

Boats/ships – 23 (0).

Humanitarian+general

• According to information provided by the Situation Center of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russian troops shelled 10 regions of Ukraine over the past day. A total of 116 towns and villages and 115 infrastructure objects were attacked with various types of weapons. The number of casualties is being updated/clarified.
• On the morning of November 24, Russian forces attacked the regional children’s library in Kherson. The library was destroyed by a direct impact. 
• According to the National Resistance Center of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, schools captured in the occupied regions of Ukraine have been directed to facilitate the participation of 70% of students, starting from the 1st grade, in exchange trips to the Russian Federation and competitions that promote the glorification of the Russian Federation. The objective is to destroy their self-identification, constituting a part of the crime of genocide.
• Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are investigating the deportation of over 500 children from Kharkiv Oblast to the Russian Federation during the occupation. Some children have been repatriated to the territory under Ukrainian control, while others reside in the occupied territory, and some still remain in the Russian Federation. Specific numbers are not disclosed. The evidence gathered during the investigation is being forwarded to the International Criminal Court.
• Russian occupation authorities have destroyed 14 monuments commemorating the victims of the 1932-33 Holodomor (the artificially organized famine) in the territory of the Ivanivska community in the Henichesk district of the occupied part of Kherson Oblast, according to information reported by the Kherson publication “Most,” citing official occupation sources.
• In Donetsk Oblast, since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, 318 agricultural enterprises have been damaged or destroyed, the total amount of losses exceeding 1 billion hryvnias, said Olena Rybakova, Deputy Director of the Department of Agro-Industrial Development and Land Relations of Donetsk Oblast Military Administration.

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