Russia’s war on Ukraine. 21.07.2024

In the operational zone of the Ukrainian Operational Group of Forces (OTG) “Kharkiv” on the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces launched 5 assaults on the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of Vovchansk and Hlyboke but failed.

In the “Khortytsia” Operational-Strategic Group of Forces (OSG) operational zone on the Kupyansk direction, the enemy attacked the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces 11 times; fighting continues in the areas of Hlushkivka, Stelmakhivka, and Pishchane. On the Lyman direction, Russian forces launched 7 assaults on the positions of Ukrainian defenders. Five attacks were repelled in the areas of Nevske and Makiivka. On the Siversk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 8 enemy attempts to improve their tactical position near Verkhnyokamianske, Spirne, and Vyimka. On the Kramatorsk direction, 11 Russian attempts to advance near Chasiv Yar, Kalynivka, Novomarkove, and Stupochky ended in failure. Fighting continues near Klishchiivka. On the Toretsk direction, the occupiers launched 5 assaults in the areas of Zalizne, Pivnichne, and New York.

In the “Tavriya” OSG operational zone, the enemy is intensively attacking on the Pokrovsk direction, carrying out 47 assault and offensive actions. The greatest activity of the Russian occupiers remains in the areas of Novooleksandrivka, Prohres, and Novoselivka Persha. On the Kurakhove direction, 11 combat clashes occurred. The occupiers unsuccessfully tried to advance in the areas of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Paraskoviivka, and Kostyantynivka. On the Vremivka direction, the enemy suffered defeats in four battles near Staromayorske and Kostyantynivka. The enemy became more active on Orikhiv direction, launching 5 attacks near Robotyne and Mala Tokmachka.

In the operational zone of “Odesa” OSG on the Prydniprovskiy direction, 8 enemy assault actions on the left bank of the Dnipro River, on the Kozachi Laheri–Krynky direction, were unsuccessful.

General conclusion:

• Ukrainian Defense Forces units will have to retreat from Prohres and Novoselivka Persha in the near future.
• The intensity of combat operations on the Pokrovsk direction has significantly decreased.
• Russian forces near Chasiv Yar have taken a tactical pause and limit themselves to local reconnaissance actions and rotating their units.

Change in the line of contact (LoC):

• There were 126 combat engagements on various fronts.
• On the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces advanced within the western outskirts of Starytsya, pushed the Defense Forces from positions north of Hlyboke, continued their offensive in the Hlyboke and Vovchansk areas, and carried out an airstrike with guided bombs on the bridge on Soborna Street over the Vovcha River in Vovchansk. The Defense Forces counterattacked near Starytsya, Hlyboke, and Lyptsi.
• On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces captured Pishchane, control Andriivka, advanced 400 meters northwest of Kyslivka, and continued their offensive in the areas of Synkivka, Hlushkivka, Novoosynove, Pishchane, Stelmakhivka, and Lozova.
• On the Lyman direction, Russian forces advanced up to 2 kilometers near Nevske, attacked near Makiivka, Nevske, Hrekivka, Novosadove, Terny, and in the area of the Serebriansk Forest.
• On the Siversk Direction, Russian forces continued their offensive in the areas of Bilohorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, Vyimka, and Pereyizne.
• On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces continued their attacks within Chasiv Yar, near Kalynivka, Hryhorivka, Klishchiivka, and near Bila Hora.
• On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces continued their offensive near Toretsk, Zalizne, and New York, advanced in the fields south of Oleksandropil, and in the center of Zalizne.
• On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces attempted to advance within the central part of Novoselivka Persha, in the areas of Vozdvyzhenka, Novooleksandrivka, Prohres, Kalynove, Arkhanhelske, Skuchne, Yasnobrodivka, and Karlivka.
• On the Kurakhove direction, Russian forces advanced in the fields south of Heorhiivka, within Krasnohorivka, and attacked in the areas of Kostyantynivka, Paraskoviivka, and Vodyane.
• On the Vremivka direction, Russian forces continued local attacks near Staromayorske but did not advance.
• On the Orikhiv direction, positional battles continued near Robotyne, Verbove, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanylivka, Novoandriivka, and Shcherbaky.
• On the Prydniprovskiy direction, fighting continued on the left bank of Kherson Oblast, including near Krynky. Russian forces hold positions on islands in the Dnipro River delta.
• In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
  • Azov Sea: 4 ships, including 0 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 0 cruise missiles.
  • Mediterranean Sea: 1 ship, including 1 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 8 cruise missiles.  

Changes in the enemy disposition:

• Units of the 25th Separate SOF Regiment operate on the Kherson direction.
• The 57th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 5th Combined Arms Army is advancing on the Vuhledar direction.
• The command of the “Sever” Operational Grouping has formed and deployed additional assault groups from the 155th Separate Marines Brigade of the Pacific Fleet and the 18th Motorized Rifle Division of the 11th Army Corps near Hlyboke preparing to resume offensive operations. They have regrouped units of the 138th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 6th Combined Arms Army, the 1008th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 6th Motorized Rifle Division of the 3rd Army Corps, and the 128th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 44th Army Corps near Vovchansk to resume assault operations.

Possible operation situation developments:

• On the Kupyansk direction, in the operational zone of the 1st Tank Army, command of the enemy’s “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping will attempt to reach the Oskil River in the Hlushkivka – Zahryzove sector, the Petropavlivka – Kurylivka line, and storm Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi railway junction. This assumption is supported he enemy’s increased activity specifically on the flanks (Synkivka – Petropavlivka and Pishchane – Kolisnykivka directions). To bind the “Khortytsia” OSG forces, the enemy will exert frontal pressure on their positions in the Stepova Novoselivka area.
• The enemy’s “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping failed to advance through Kalynivka, failing to complete the task of bypassing Chasiv Yar from the north and breaking through Ridkodubya towards the railway station north of the Refractory plant, thus falling to force the forward units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces to retreat from the “Novyi” and “Zhovtnevyi” neighborhoods and avoid a frontal assault on their positions across the canal. A repeat attempt of such actions should be expected if the “Siversky Donets-Donbas” canal between Kalynivka and the “Zhovtnevyi” neighborhood is crossed.
• The 55th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade is preparing to intensify offensive actions with at least two battalions and two to three assault groups from a consolidated assault company north of Novooleksandrivka towards Zelene Pole and Baranivka, aiming to support the right flank of a tactical group that will attempt to capture Vozdvyzhenka.
• Units of the 55th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade are actively fortifying their forward positions between Novooleksandrivka and Arkhanhelske, particularly setting up mine-explosive barriers. If the enemy achieves success north of Novooleksandrivka, they may also launch an attack towards Kalynove.
• Russian forces will intensify attacks south of Kostyantynivka to encircle the Vuhledar defense area.

Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 21.07.24  

Personnel – almost 566,710 (+1100); 

Tanks 8,266 (+9);

Armored combat vehicles – 15,963 (+46); 

Artillery systems – 15,586 (+44);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,121 (0);

Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 896 (+1);

Vehicles and fuel tanks – 21,036 (+68);

Aircraft – 362 (0);

Helicopters – 326 (0);

UAV operational and tactical level –12,402 (+52);

Intercepted cruise missiles – 2,401 (0);

Boats/ships – 29 (0).

Humanitarian+general:

• According to information provided by the Situation Center of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russian forces shelled 11 regions of Ukraine over the past day. A total of 150 towns and villages and 167 infrastructure objects were attacked with various types of weapons. The number of casualties is being updated/clarified.
• During the night of July 21, air defense forces shot down 35 out of 39 Russian Shahed drones, and X-59/69 guided aviation missiles did not reach their targets. Overall, at night, Russian forces struck Ukraine with three Iskander-M ballistic missiles, two X-59/69guided aviation missiles and 39 UAVs.
• On Saturday at 8:30 PM, the Bashtanka district of the Mykolaiv region suffered a missile attack, that damaged private houses due to the blast wave and injured two people.
• In the morning of July 21, Russian occupiers attacked a resident of Novoberyslav in Kherson Oblast with a kamikaze drone. He is hospitalized in serious condition.
• The enemy launched a missile strike on the residential area in the village of Bilyi Kolodiaz in the Chuhuiv district of Kharkiv Oblast, injuring two men.
• Around 16:40 on Sunday, Russian forces attacked a combine harvester during harvest in the Bilopillya community of the Sumy district. The 37-year-old harvester operator was killed, and his 59-year-old assistant was injured.
• Around 16:00 on Sunday, Russian forces shelled the Korabelny district of Kherson, injuring a 52-year-old man. Earlier, the Russian army shelled the Dnipro district of Kherson, injuring a 65-year-old man. Both of them were hospitalized.
• In temporarily occupied Donetsk, the water supply from the Don River was halted. Due to a power outage in Russia, the pump stations of the Don-Donbas water pipeline, built by the occupiers, failed, completely stopping the water supply.
• As of July 21, the situation in the Ukrainian energy sector remains difficult, with 547 towns and villages still without power.

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