Russia’s war on Ukraine. 23.02.2024

In the operational zone of the Ukrainian Operational-Strategic Group of Forces (OSG) “Khortytsia” on the Kupyansk direction, the enemy made 5 attempts to advance near Synkivka, on the Lyman direction, they attacked Ukrainian units near Terny and Yampolivka 14 times. On the Bakhmut direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 16 enemy attacks in the areas of Andriivka, Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka and Toretsk.

In the “Tavriya” OSG operational zone on the Avdiivka direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 10 enemy attacks in the vicinity of Orlivka, Severne, Pervomaiske and Nevelske. On the Maryinka direction, Ukrainian troops continue to hold back the enemy in the areas of Novomykhailivka and Pobeda, where the enemy tried to break through the defense 43 times.   On the Novopavlivka direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 3 enemy attacks south of Zolota Nyva. On the Zaporizhzhia direction, they repelled 5 enemy attacks west of Verbove and in the area of Robotyne.

In the operational zone of the “Odesa” OSG on the Kherson direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold positions and repel assaults by Russian occupation forces. Over the past day, the enemy made 5 assault attempts on the left bank of the Dnipro River.

General conclusion:-

• In the battle for Avdiivka, the enemy lost 364 tanks and 748 armored combat vehicles, roughly equivalent of a tank division and two motorized infantry divisions. Such losses will affect the tactics of the enemy’s further actions, compelling them to rely on infantry operations devoid of armored vehicle support across the entire operational theater.

Change in the line of contact (LoC):  

• 101 combat engagements took place in various sectors.
• On the Kupyansk direction, positional battles continued in the areas of Synkivka, Tabaivka, Berestove, and Krokhmalne.
• On the Lyman direction, positional fighting continued near Terny, Yampolivka and in Bilohorivka.
• On the Bakhmut direction, units of the 11th Separate Air Assault Brigade and the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Army made minor progress southeast and south of Bohdanivka. Positional battles continued near Vyimka, Bohdanivka, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, Mayorske, New York, Toretsk and Pivdenne.
• On the Avdiivka direction, Russian troops advanced in the field west of the Avdiivka Coking Plant. Positional fighting continued in the areas of Stepove, Berdychi, Orlivka, Lastochkine, Severne, Pervomaiske and Nevelske.
• On the Shakhtarsk direction, positional fighting continued west of Donetsk, Heorhiivka, near Pobieda and Novomykhailivka.
• Berdyansk direction: Russian troops advanced near Novodonetske and Pryiutne. Positional fighting continues south of Zolota Nyva and near Novozlatopol.
• Tokmak direction: Russian troops pushed back “Tavriya” OSG units from several positions near Verbove and advanced near Robotyne. Combat engagements continued east and on the southern outskirts of Robotyne and west of Verbove.
• Kherson direction: Russian forces retreated from positions near Krynky after a Ukrainian assault in the area.
• As a result of a fire strike at a Russian training ground in the occupied Podo-Kalynivka, in Kherson Oblast, where assault groups were undergoing training for combat operations near Krynky, approximately 60 Russian military personnel from the 328th Air Assault Regiment of the 104th Air Assault Division, the 810th Separate Marines Brigade of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, and the 81st Self-propelled Artillery Regiment of the 76th Motorized Rifle Division of the 18th Army were neutralized.
• In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consisted of:
  • Black Sea: 1 ship.
  • Azov Sea: 1 ship.
  • Mediterranean Sea: 2 ships, including 1 cruise missile carrier with the total salvo of 8 “Kalibr” missiles.

Change in enemy disposition:

• Units of the 78th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 58th Army, known as the “Akhmat-Sever” detachment, are operating near Klishchiivka.
• In Avdiivka, combat operations are being conducted by the 55th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 41st Army, and in the Nevelske area, the 110th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 1st Army Corps of the 8th Army is engaged.
• The enemy’s 30th Artillery Brigade of the 36th Army is in combat near Urozhaine.
• The 136th Artillery Regiment of the enemy is engaged in combat near Robotyne.

Escalation indicators:

• The enemy gained the opportunity to develop an offensive on Kostyantynivka and Vuhledar.

Possible operation situation developments:

• The Russian Federation plans to seize the entire Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts and part of Kharkiv Oblast up to the Oskil River by March 2024. Over the next 36 months, Russia intends to capture parts of Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv Oblasts.
• Russian forces may advance towards Kostiantynivka along Highway O0532 or towards Heorhiivka along Highway H15.

Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 23.02.24 

Personnel – almost 408,240 people (+1000);

Tanks – 6,526 (+3);

Armored combat vehicles – 12,410 (+37);

Artillery systems – 9,916 (+49);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 999 (+2);

Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 682 (+2);

Vehicles and fuel tanks – 12,960 (+36);

Aircraft – 339 (0);

Helicopters – 325 (0);

UAV operational and tactical level – 7,628 (+32);

Intercepted cruise missiles – 1,903 (0);

Boats/ships – 26 (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 103 towns and villages and 79 infrastructure objects were attacked with various types of weapons. One person was reported killed and 19 were reported injured in Donetsk Oblast, 1 civilian was killed and two injured in Kherson Oblast. The number of casualties is being updated/clarified.
• As of the morning of February 23, 2024, according to official information from juvenile prosecutors, 528 Ukrainian children have been killed, and over 1,230 have been injured to varying degrees of severity.
• On the night of February 23, the Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 6 missiles and 31 “Shahed” attack UAVs, 23 enemy drones were destroyed.
• During the night enemy attack on Odesa Oblast, one of the drones crashed into a building of an enterprise on the coast of Odesa, causing damage and fire. One person was rescued from the building and three people died. 
• During the night of February 23, in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, five combat drones were neutralized. However, there were impacts – a multi-story building and an enterprise in Dnipro sustained damage. Eight people were injured, and two were killed.

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