Russia’s war on Ukraine. 16.04.2024

In the operational zone of the Ukrainian Operational-Strategic Group of Forces (OSG) “Khortytsia”, on the Lyman direction, the enemy launched 8 attacks on the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the areas of Terny and Torske. On the Bakhmut direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 33 Russian attacks in the areas of Bilohorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, Spirne, Novyi, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka and Andriivka. 

In the “Tavriya” OSG operational zone on the Avdiivka direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 15 enemy attacks in the areas of, Novobakhmutivka, Berdychi, Semenivka, Umanske, and Pervomaiske. On the Novopavlivka direction, they continued to hold back the enemy in the areas of Krasnohorivka, Novomykhailivka, Pobieda, Vodyane and Urozhaine where the adversary, supported by aviation, attempted to breach Ukrainian troops’ defenses 30 times. On the Orikhiv direction, the enemy attacked the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces 7 times in the area of Staromayorske, north of Pryiutne and southwest of Bilohirya.

In the operational zone of the “Odesa” OSG on the Kherson direction, the enemy remains determined to dislodge the units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces from the bridgeheads on the left bank of the Dnipro River and launched 5 unsuccessful attacks on their positions.

General conclusion: 

• Russian forces are attempting to seize Chasiv Yar, advancing on the flanks in the areas of Bohdanivka and Ivanivske. The enemy’s Airspace Force delivers between 20 to 30 airstrikes with glide bombs in these areas daily.

Change in the line of contact (LoC):

• There were 104 combat engagements on various fronts.
• On the Lyman direction, positional battles persisted near Terny. The 7th Separate Rifle Brigade of the Russian 2nd Army Corps launched an unsuccessful attack near Bilohorivka.
• On the Bakhmut direction, the 123rd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Army Corps advanced northwest of Vesele. Positional battles persisted near Spirne and Vesele. A unit from “Irbis” (part of the “Redut” Private Military Company) of the “Volunteer Assault Corps” attacked near Soledar, and units of the 106th Airborne Division attacked on the Siversk direction.
• Russian forces advanced 300 meters in the “Kanal” microdistrict in Chasiv Yar and approached the Stupky-Holubivsky-2 reserve. The enemy advanced near Bohdanivka and Ivanivske. Positional battles continued near the “Novyi” microdistrict of Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske, Andriivka, Klishchiivka, Kurdymivka, and New York. The 200th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 14th Army Corps of the Northern Fleet advanced near Kalynivka.
• On the Avdiivka direction, Russian forces have advanced in the center of Semenivka and southeast of Novobakhmutivka, nearing the outskirts of Ocheretyne. They’ve also moved to the eastern part of the “Zoria” gardening community (east of Novobakhmutivka), reached the outskirts of Novobakhmutivka, and advanced south of Umanske and north of Berdychi. Positional battles persisted in the areas of Novokalynove, Novobakhmutivka, Umanske, Berdychi, Semenivka, Pervomaiske, and Netaylove.
• On the Novopavlivka direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have repositioned to the southwestern outskirts of Novomykhailivka.
• Russian forces have advanced to the southeast of Krasnohorivka and northwest outskirts of Pobieda. Positional battles persisted in the areas of Krasnohorivka, Pobieda, and Novomykhailivka.
• On the Berdyansk direction, the 37th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 36th Army and the 114th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 127th Motorized Rifle Division of the 5th Army unsuccessfully attempted to advance in the area of Velyka Novosilka. Positional battles persisted in the areas of Urozhaine, Staromayorske, and Pryiutne.
• On the Orikhiv direction, positional battles continued in the southern part of Robotyne, northwest of Verbove, and southwest of Bylohirya.
• In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
  • Mediterranean Sea: 2 ships, including 2 “Kalibr” sea launched cruise missile carriers. The total salvo is 24 cruise missiles.

Possible operation situation developments:

• The forces of the 20th and 25th Army are unable to complete the forming operation on the Lyman direction and will not be able to occupy a favorable starting position for the offensive on Lyman and the Slovyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration before the beginning of summer.
• The command of the enemy’s “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping, 2nd Army Corps, and 106th Airborne Division will make efforts to eliminate the Siversk salient and set conditions for the encirclement of the Slovyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration from the southeast.
• The “Center” Operational Grouping command is focused on executing the following operational plan: to establish conditions for the blockade and encirclement of the Kurakhove area or to create advantageous circumstances for launching an offensive operation to encircle “Tavriya” OSG’s defense in Toretsk area from the south.
• The isolation or complete capture of Kostyantynivka will significantly impair the Defense Forces’ ability to maintain the frontline in the southern part of Donetsk Oblast, as it will disrupt the main logistical route along Highway N-20.

Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 16.04.24  

Personnel – almost 455,340 (+920); 

Tanks 7,189 (+9); 

Armored combat vehicles – 13,809 (+13); 

Artillery systems – 11,609 (+16);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,046 (0);

Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 759 (+1);

Vehicles and fuel tanks – 15,563 (+53);

Aircraft – 347 (0);

Helicopters – 325 (0);

UAV operational and tactical level – 9,277 (+11);

Intercepted cruise missiles – 2,092 (0);

Boats/ships – 27 (0).

Humanitarian+general:

• According to information provided by the Situation Center of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russian forces shelled 13 regions of Ukraine over the past day. A total of 100 towns and villages and 64 infrastructure objects were attacked with various types of weapons. The number of casualties is being updated/clarified.
• During the night of April 16, the Russian military launched nine Shahed-type UAVs. All drones were successfully neutralized across Kherson, Mykolaiv, Khmelnytskyi, Poltava, Cherkasy, and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts.
• Russian forces deployed a glide bomb targeting a building in Beryslav, Kherson Oblast. The attack resulted in 15 residents suffering shell shock.
• Nearly 37,000 people in Ukraine are considered missing, including children, civilians, and military personnel. However, the actual number could be higher, as reported by the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets.
• President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Russian military managed to destroy the Trypillya Power Plant in Kyiv Oblast because missile defenses in the region were depleted due to insufficient support from allies.
• On Monday, April 15, Ukrainian power grid experienced a shortfall in electricity between 20:00 and 22:00. To address this, emergency assistance was sought from energy operators in Poland and Romania, totaling 800 MW-hours.
• On Tuesday, April 16, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law on mobilization, adopted by the parliament on April 11. Next, the draft law will be published in the official parliamentary publication “Holos Ukrainy” and will come into effect a month after its publication.
• Due to artillery strikes in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, 30 towns and villages are without power. Repairing the infrastructure is challenging due to extensive damage or complete destruction.

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