Russia’s war on Ukraine. 13.05.2024

In the operational zone of the Ukrainian Operational-Strategic Group of Forces (OSG) “North” on the Kharkiv direction, the enemy, carried out 10 attacks in the areas of Lukyanivka, Hlyboke, Vovchansk, and Buhruvatka.

In the “Khortytsia” OSG operational zone on the Kupyansk direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 9 enemy attacks in the areas of Petropavlivka, Berestove, Stelmakhivka, and Andriivka, where the enemy attempted to improve their tactical position. On the Lyman direction, they repelled 15 attacks in the vicinity of Novoyehorivka, Makiivka, Serebriansk Forest, and Terny, where the enemy, with the support of aviation, tried to break through the Ukrainian defense. On the Siversk direction, 10 Russian attacks were repelled in the areas of Bilohorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, Spirne, Vyimka, and Rozdolivka. On the Kramatorsk direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 16 attacks in the areas of Hryhorivka, Novyi, Andriivka, and south of Ivanivske, where the enemy attempted to improve its tactical position. 

In the “Tavriya” OSG operational zone, on the Toretsk direction, the enemy did not conduct offensive (assault) actions but delivered airstrikes in the areas of Druzhba and New York. On the Pokrovsk direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 30 attacks in the areas of Novooleksandrivka, Sokil, Novopokrovske, Umanske, Yasnobrodivka, and Netaylove, where the enemy, with air support, attempted to displace the Ukrainian Defense Forces from their positions. On the Kurakhove direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continued to hold back the enemy in the areas of Krasnohorivka, where the enemy, with air support, attempted to breach the Ukrainian defense 4 times. On the Vremivka direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 16 attacks in the areas of Vodyane, Urozhaine, and Staromayorske, where the enemy attempted to displace Ukrainian units from their positions. On the Hulyaipole direction, the enemy did not conduct offensive (assault) actions but delivered artillery and mortar attacks on Chervone and Zelenyi Hai.  On the Orikhiv direction, the enemy, with air support, attacked the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces twice in the area of Robotyne.

In the operational zone of the “Odesa” OSG on the Prydniprovskiy direction, did not conduct offensive (assault) actions during the past day.

General conclusion: 

• The situation in the area of Vovchansk is extremely challenging as the Ukrainian Defense Forces lack adequate fortifications in this area. The situation remains challenging, with Russian forces holding the initiative, but there are currently no favorable conditions for a breakthrough of the frontline.
• On the Vovchansk direction, after overcoming the gray zone, the enemy had to attack the defensive positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, impeding its progress. The enemy has lost the ability to maneuver, and their losses are sharply increasing.
• In the area of Chasiv Yar, Russian forces use tanks to shell Ukrainian positions, with infantry APCs following the tanks.
• Russian forces have increased the number of airstrikes, artillery strikes, and UAV attacks on the Bakhmut direction, but these strikes are less precise than those of the Ukrainian forces.
• Russian troops continue to assault Krasnohorivka with small assault groups and occasionally use armored vehicles during shelling of the eastern outskirts of the village.
• Enemy units, trapped at the brick factory in the center of Krasnohorivka, lack ammunition and armored support as the Ukrainian Defense Forces have cut off their logistical route.
• Russian units entered Krasnohorivka in civilian clothing, disguising themselves as local Ukrainian residents, and then changed into Ukrainian military uniforms afterward, which is considered perfidy under International Humanitarian Law.

Change in the line of contact (LoC):

• There were 146 combat engagements on various fronts.
• On the Kharkiv direction, the fighting continues along the Pylna – Lukyantsi, Pylna – Hlyboke, Pylna – Oliynykove, and Murom – Buhruvatka directions. The enemy is conducting assault operations along the Strilecha – Hlyboke, Oliynykove – Hlyboke, Oliynykove – Lukyantsi, Murom – Starytsya, and Pletenivka – Tykhe directions. The enemy captured Morokhovets, Ohirtseve, Hatyshche, Tykhe, partially Lukyantsi, and attacked near Buhruvatka, advanced south of Pylna, north of Lukyantsi. Battles are ongoing near Hlyboke and Starytsya. Russian forces are attempting to advance towards Lyptsi but have been unable to reach it. Enemy forward units are attempting to reach Lyptsi and advance towards Neskuchne – Vesele. The enemy has reached the area of Buhruvatka – Starytsya, where they are trying to consolidate their position.
• The battle for Vovchansk continues, where the enemy engaged up to 5 BTGs and achieved tactical success, reaching outskirts of the city, the streets in the far end of the city and the Vovchansk meat processing plant. Tanks with mine rollers were involved in the attack, but it was repelled. The enemy is attempting to cut off the road to Vovchansk further west of the city from the direction of Starytsya and reach the Starytsya – Prylipka line.
• On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces continued their assaults in the areas of Synkivka, Petropavlivka, Ivanivka, Berestove, Stelmakhivka, Andriivka, Novoyehorivka, Makiivka, and Nevske.
• On the Lyman direction, Russian forces launched attacks near Terny, Novosadove, Serebriansk Forest, and Bilohorivka.
• On the Siversk direction, Russian forces unsuccessfully attacked near Verkhnyokamianske, Rozdolivka, Spirne, and Vyimka.
• On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces have advanced to the west of Ivanivka, to the north and northeast of the “Kanal” neighborhood and have captured the Stupky-Holubivsky-2 reserve. The enemy has resumed assault operations in Klishchiivka, continued offensive actions near Hryhorivka, near the “Novyi” and “Kanal” neighborhoods, near Klishchiivka, Andriivka, and near New York.
• On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces have approached the outskirts of Novooleksandrivka and advanced towards Kalynove. The enemy has also advanced to the west of Ocheretyne along the railway line, continuing offensive operations in the areas of Novooleksandrivka, Kalynove, Sokil, Yevhenivka, Solovyove, Novopokrovske, Semenivka, Novoselivka Persha, Berdychi, Umansky, Yasnobrodivka, and Netaylove.
• On the Kurakhove direction, Russian forces have advanced into the center of Krasnohorivka and continued offensive operations in the areas of Kostyantynivka, Solodke, Paraskoviivka, and Vodyane.
• On the Vremivka direction, positional battles persisted in the area of Urozhaine and Staromayorske.
• On the Orikhiv direction, Units of the 7th Air Assault Division advanced west of Luhivske and west and southwest of Novoprokopivka. Positional battles persisted near Robotyne, Verbove, and Novodanylivka.
• On the Pryndniprovskiy direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled Russian attacks near Krynky. Units of the 61^st Separate Marines Brigade unsuccessfully attempt to regain control over the Nestryha Island.
• In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
  • Mediterranean Sea: 3 ships, including 1 “Kalibr” sea launched cruise missile carrier. The total salvo is 8 cruise missiles.

Changes in the enemy disposition:

• The 2nd Artillery Brigade of the 2nd Army Corps of the 8th Army is engaged in combat operations near Berestove.
• The 39th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 68th Army Corps is engaged in combat operations near Novomykhailivka. The 238th Artillery Brigade of the 8th Army is active near Krasnohorivka. Units of the 255th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Army and the 57th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 5th Army Corps are observed on the Kurakhove direction.

Possible operation situation developments:

• The occupiers will try to advance further into the residential areas of Vovchansk, move towards Starytsya, and encroach upon the neighborhoods of Lyptsi and Ternova.
• The enemy will be escalating efforts in the near future. Reserves from the 30th and 41st Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 44th Army Corps are concentrating in the Rzhavets – Shebekino – Nova Tavilzhanka – Bezludivka area for this purpose.
• In the near future, the enemy will launch an invasion from the territory of Kursk Oblast with the forces of the 128th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, supported by units of the 11th Army Corps, in the general direction towards Velyka Pysarivka.
• Expect enemy capture of Synkivka soon, along with intense rear-guard actions north of Kupyansk’s eastern outskirts, for Stepova Novoselivka, Pishchane, and Berestove.
• The enemy’s objective is to reach the Hlyboke-Lukyantsi line to create conditions for advancing towards Lyptsi. In the area of Vovchansk, the enemy will attempt to advance along the Siversky Donets from north to south and bypass Vovchansk from the southwest and south through Synelnykove and Tsehelne.
• The adversary may concentrate additional assault units in the advance zone of the 98th Airborne Division, where it previously managed to advance closest to the Chasiv Yar boundary. It will attempt to break through on May 10-11 along two axes: in the advance zone of the 217th Airborne Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division towards the “Kanal” neighborhood and in the advance zone of the 331st Airborne Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division towards the “Novyi” neighborhood.
• The adversary may attempt to bypass Chasiv Yar without directly assaulting the city, by operating from the south and southeast, while simultaneously forming a northern flank for the Toretsk operation.
• 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 enemy’s “Vostok” Operational Grouping is gearing up for active operations on the southern flank of the Kurakhove-Vuhledar bulge of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in coordination with the left flank of the “Yug” Operational Grouping, which is currently attempting to break through towards Kurakhove through Hryhorivka and Paraskoviivka-Kostyantynivka along the Vovcha and Sukhi Yaly Rivers.
• 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 13.05.24  

Personnel – almost 484,030 (+1740); 

Tanks 7,485 (+31); 

Armored combat vehicles – 14,417 (+42); 

Artillery systems – 12,487 (+15);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,070 (+4);

Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 797 (0);

Vehicles and fuel tanks – 16,878 (+59);

Aircraft – 350 (+1);

Helicopters – 325 (0);

UAV operational and tactical level – 9,936 (+26);

Intercepted cruise missiles – 2,197 (+3);

Boats/ships – 27 (0).

Humanitarian+general:

• According to information provided by the Situation Center of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russian forces shelled 10 regions of Ukraine over the past day. A total of 139 towns and villages and 82 infrastructure objects were attacked with various types of weapons. The number of casualties is being updated/clarified.
• During the past day, Russian forces conducted 26 shelling attacks in Sumy Oblast. The attacks resulted in the loss of a local resident in the Krasnopillya community, with two others sustaining injuries.
• During the past day, as a result of Russian shelling in Donetsk Oblast, two individuals in Dibrova and Ivanivka lost their lives, with two others sustaining injuries.
• On May 13, Russian forces shelled the village of Kizomys in Kherson Oblast, resulting in the deaths of two local residents.
• On May 13, around 16:40, the armed forces of the Russian Federation launched a missile strike on a civilian enterprise in the village of Korotych in Kharkiv Oblast. One person was killed, and four others were injured.
• Evacuation operations involving residents from Bilopillya and Vorozhba have commenced in Sumy Oblast. Additionally, the evacuation of border communities within a 5-kilometer distance from the Russian border, which began in July 2023, continues. It includes the evacuation of inhabitants from 115 border villages across 15 communities spanning 4 districts of the Oblast, all facing sustained Russian shelling.
• The administration of Kharkiv Oblast has declared a mandatory evacuation for orphaned children and children deprived of parental care from the border communities of the Bohodukhiv, Kupyansk, and Izyum districts.
• Russian snipers opened fire on a police armored vehicle as it was evacuating people from Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast. The shots struck the windshield where the driver was seated, as well as passenger windows and doors. A tire was punctured, and shots were also fired into the back of the car as it was driving away.
• In the Vovchansk community, during the Russian army’s offensive actions, occupiers forcibly detained and continue to hold people in the basement. Local residents were placed in the building on May 11, 2024. Some of them managed to escape and reach volunteers on May 13. The victims reported that while in the basement, they overheard conversations among Russian military personnel about the need to execute the civilian population, according to the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
• On May 13th, a record volume of electricity import to Ukraine was planned for the day, totaling 19.4 thousand MWh from five European countries. Throughout most of the day, Ukraine’s energy system was experiencing significant electricity shortages due to extensive damage to Ukrainian power plants.

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