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Russo-Ukrainian War. Day 182: Ukraine Independence Day, six months of war and high risk of air strikes

Russo-Ukrainian War. Day 182: Ukraine Independence Day, six months of war and high risk of air strikes
Article by: Zarina Zabrisky

Today marks the 31st anniversary of Ukraine’s independence and the six months since the beginning of the Russian full-scale war of aggression. A high risk of air strikes. The Russian army continues to focus its efforts on establishing full control over the territory of the Donetsk region, maintaining the captured Oblasts: Kherson, part of Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv; has minimal progress in Donbas. Russian government sources confirmed that Russian authorities are bringing Ukrainian children to Russia for adoption, which is a violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Situation around Zaporizhzhia is 100% dangerous, says Zelensky.

The General Staff’s operational update regarding the Russian invasion as of 06.00 am, August 24, 2022 is in the dropdown menu below. 

Situation in Ukraine. August23, 2022. Source: ISW.

 
Happy Independence Day, Ukraine!
The one hundred-and-eighty-second day of the Ukrainian nation’s heroic resistance to the Russian large-scale invasion has begun.
The enemy continues to focus its efforts on establishing full control over the territory of the Donetsk region, maintaining the captured districts of Kherson, part of Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv oblasts, and restoring the combat capability of units that have suffered losses.
russian occupiers continue to carry out air and missile attacks on civilian objects on the territory of Ukraine. Do not ignore air raid signals.
In the Volyn and Polissya directions, the situation remains without significant changes, units of the Armed Forces of the republic of belarus carry out the task of strengthening the protection of the section of the belarusian-Ukrainian border in the Brest and Gomel regions.
In the Siversky region, the enemy continues to hold separate units of the Western Military District in the border areas of the Bryansk and Kursk regions in order to demonstrate the presence and constrain the actions of units of the Defense Forces. The enemy shelled the Tovstodubove settlement of the Sumy region with barrel artillery.
In the Slobozhansk direction, the enemy is conducting combat operations with the aim of holding previously occupied lines.
Kharkiv Battle Map. August 23, 2022. Source: ISW.
In the Kharkiv direction, the occupiers shelled the areas of Odnorobivka, Karasivka, Borshcheva, Peremoha, Ruska Lozova, Zamulivka, Bazaliivka, Pushkarne, Mospanove, Slobozhanske, Husarivka and Chepil settlements with barrel and rocket artillery. The enemy launched airstrikes near Mospanove, Husarivka, and Prudyanka. Conducted aerial reconnaissance of the UAV near Dementiivka.
In the Sloviansk direction, the enemy carried out artillery fire near Krasnopilla and Mazanivka. Tried to conduct reconnaissance near Bohorodychne. Our soldiers inflicted fire damage on the occupiers and forced them to flee.
Donetsk Battle Map. August 23, 2022. Source: ISW.
In the Donetsk direction, the enemy continues active operations in the Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions.
In the Kramatorsk direction, it carried out shelling from barrel and rocket artillery in the areas of Siversk, Zakytne, and Rozdolivka. Conducted aerial reconnaissance of the UAV near Zvanivka and Raihorodok.
In the Bakhmut direction, shelling was recorded in the areas of Bakhmut, Soledar, Zaytseve and Bilohorivka settlements. The enemy waged offensive battles in the direction of Bakhmutske and Kodema. There was no success.
In the Avdiivka direction, the enemy fired artillery of various types near Mariinka, Pisky, Netaylovo, Krasnohorivka, and Zalizne. Made an airstrike near Nevelske. Enemy led offensive battles in the direction of the settlements of Pisky and Nevelske. There was no success.
In the Novopavlivskyi direction, the districts of Kostyantynivka and Vuhledar were affected by fire.
In the Zaporizhzhia direction, the enemy fired artillery of various calibers in the areas of Mali Shcherbaky, Shevchenko, Zaliznychne, Chervone, Vremivka, Olhivske and Orestopil settlements. Carried out airstrikes near Olhivske and Novopole. Conducted aerial reconnaissance of UAVs near Shcherbaky, Stepove and Vasylivka.
In the South Buh direction, the enemy continues to focus its efforts on holding the occupied areas and restraining the actions of the Defense Forces.
Used barrel and rocket artillery for shelling the areas of settlements of Stepova Dolyna, Nova Zorya, Tavriyske, Zasilya, Novomykolaivka, Shyroke, Kobzartsi, Partyzanske, Lozove, Bila Krynytsia, Dobryanka, Osokorivka, Potyomkine and Trudolyubivka. Carried out airstrikes near Potyomkine and Lozove. Conducted aerial reconnaissance by UAVs in the areas of Sukhy Stavok and Velyke Artakove settlements.
Kherson-Mykolaiv Battle Map. August 23, 2022. Source: ISW.
The enemy’s naval group in the waters of the Black and Azov Seas focuses its main efforts on blocking civilian shipping in the northwestern part of the Black Sea and damaging military facilities and infrastructure elements deep in the territory of Ukraine.
russian occupiers are suffering losses in all directions where hostilities are ongoing.
We believe in the Armed Forces of Ukraine! Together we will win!
Glory to Ukraine!

Military Updates 

Shelling by the Russian Army. Icelandic Data Analyst.

50 MLRS HIMARS can completely change the course of the war, said an adviser to the head of the OP Podoliak. The price of one HIMARS system is $4 million. The price of 50 systems is $200 million plus ammunition. The price of achieving parity of fire and the effective destruction of the logistics of the [Russian] army is less than … one yacht of a Russian oligarch. It’s definitely not ‘all the money in the world,’ but it’s something that would completely change the course of this war,” he tweeted. At the beginning of August, Ukraine had 16 HIMARS transferred from the United States.

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1562144854100135942

In the fall, Ukraine expects to receive anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense systems that will “close the sky,” as stated by Deputy Head of the Presidential Office for Foreign Policy and Strategic Partnership Andriy Sibiga.

Regional Updates

In the Donetsk Oblast, the “administration” building of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, a Russian proxy state, was shelled. It might be a false-flag operation to justify an attack on the Ukrainian government buildings on Independence Day.

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1562160243798261761

In the Kharkiv Oblast, Kharkiv was attacked four times in 24 hours on the Day of the City.

In the Sumy Oblast, the Russian army was targeting the communities close to the border with artillery and mortars. The damages caused by the fire are unknown. No casualties reported.

In the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, in Dnipro, a Russian missile destroyed one private house and damaged one. No casualties reported. The Russian army attacked Nikopol with three kamikaze drones and 20 Grad shells. Private houses and a local water-sports complex were damaged. Three Russian reconnaissance drones of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were shot down. Nikopol is under daily fire, shellings cause fires.

In the Kherson Oblast, an unsuccessful attempt on a Russian collaborator.

In the temporarily occupied Crimea, more explosions are reported.

According to British Defence Intelligence, (last 48 hours): 

  • Today marks the 31st anniversary of Ukraine’s independence. Since 2014 President Putin has sought to use a mix of force and coercive diplomacy to increase and solidify Russia’s influence in Ukraine and interfere in its sovereign affairs.
  • Russia launched a full invasion of Ukraine six months ago, with the aim of toppling the government and occupying most of the country. By April, Russia’s leaders realised this had failed, and reverted to more modest objectives in eastern and southern Ukraine.
  • The Donbas offensive is making minimal progress and Russia anticipates a major Ukrainian counterattack. Operationally, Russia is suffering from shortages of munitions, vehicles and personnel.
  • Morale is poor in many parts of its military and its army is significantly degraded. Its diplomatic power has been diminished and its long-term economic outlook is bleak. Six months in and Russia’s war has proven both costly and strategically harmful.

Losses of the Russian army 

As of Sunday 24 August, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the war to the present day:

https://twitter.com/voxukraine/status/1549292827158388738*

Humanitarian 

825 people evacuated from the uncontrolled part of the Kharkiv region, 238 of them are children.

Ukraine still has not received lists of the wounded and killed in Oleniivka from the Russian Federation. After the terrorist attack, Ukraine sent requests to the Russian Federation about the number of victims, but did not receive an official response, said Dmytro Lubinets, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada. “We turned to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which should receive any information from the Russian Federation. There is no answer. There is an answer that Russia does not provide them with any information,” he said.

The fact-finding team for Oleniivka is assembled but “it’s going nowhere” because the UN does not consider the situation around Oleniivka safe and it is waiting for “proper assurances.”

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1562059537963786240

️️Environmental 

Russia is accumulating equipment at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. On August 22, the invaders brought two more armored personnel carriers and 6 special trucks to the territory of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. More than 40 units of military equipment are now deployed on the territory of the station. In particular, there are 16 military vehicles near the first power unit, and 7 near the second. The occupiers drove another 12 pieces of equipment under the overpass. They also bring more military personnel to the station.

A fire caused by the shelling of the Russian Federation reported near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Ukrainian intelligence said that the Russian military was shelling the ash dumps of the Zaporizhzhia thermal power plant in order to raise clouds of radioactive dust.

President Zelensky signed a law requiring developers to design and build bomb shelters in every new building.

Türkiye purchased twice as much Russian oil since the beginning of the year as it did last year. Türkiye’s main oil refineries Tupras and STAR (the Turkish subsidiary of Azerbaijan’s SOCAR) have significantly increased their consumption of Russian oil.

Syria recognized the independence of “L/DNR” based on the “moral factor.”

Support 

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1562250841028902913

The German Chancellor Scholz said at the Crimean Platform that the West will never recognize the annexation of Ukrainian territories by Russia.Canada and Germany had agreed on a new package of “military assistance” to Kyiv, that will include air defense systems, missile systems and ammunition. Canada is imposing sanctions on 62 more Russian individuals and one organization in the defense sector, said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1562175345494618113️

Slovakia transfers 30 T-72 tanks to Ukraine. In return, it expects to receive 15 Leopard 2 tanks from Germany. Earlier, the transfer of heavy weapons to Ukraine as part of the circular deliveries planned by Germany and Slovakia was delayed and was on the verge of failure due to the lack of an agreement between Berlin and Bratislava.

The United States included Excalibur in a new package of weapons for Ukraine. The new package of military assistance to Kyiv, which was announced at the end of last week, also included Excalibur-guided artillery shells. They are used for 155 millimeters artillery.

Only two EU countries, Austria and Hungary, refused to supply weapons to Ukraine, Ukraine Foreign Minister Kuleba said.

The Netherlands will help Ukraine to restore formerly occupied areas, providing 65 million Euros aid. As Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Lissie Schreinemacher said, 1 million euros will be used to develop priority projects for the reconstruction of Kherson, Odesa and Mykolaiv. In addition, 10 million euros will be allocated for demining the territories liberated from the Rashists.

Türkiye handed over 50 Kirpi MRAP armored vehicles to Ukraine. 

New Developments 

“If they attack us, they will receive powerful answers. Stronger and stronger,” Zelensky commented on the heightened risk of Russia intensifying attacks on Ukraine on Independence Day.

Assessment 

  1. On the war. 

The Institute for the Study of War has made the following assessment as of Saturday 23 August, 2022:

Russian government sources confirmed that Russia is bringing Ukrainian children to Russia and having Russian families adopt them. Russian federal subject (region) Krasnodar Krai’s Family and Childhood Administration posted about a program under which Russian authorities transferred over 1,000 children from Mariupol to Tyumen, Irkutsk, Kemerov, and Altay Krai where Russian families have adopted them.[1] The Administration stated that over 300 children are still waiting to “meet their new families” and that citizens who decide to adopt these children will be provided with a one-time bonus by the state.[2] Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) additionally reported that Russian officials transferred 30 Ukrainian children from Khartsyzk, Ilovaisk, and Zuhres in occupied Donetsk Oblast to Nizhny Novgorod under the guise of having the children participate in youth educational-training programs.[3] The forcible transfer of children of one group to another “with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group“ is a violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.[4]

Russian authorities are deploying security forces to Luhansk Oblast likely in response to waning support for the war and growing unwillingness to fight among Luhansk residents. The LNR Internal Ministry reported on August 23 that LNR Internal Ministry personnel conducted joint patrols with consolidated police detachments from the Internal Ministries of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast in Starobilsk, Shchastya, and Stanystia, occupied Luhansk Oblast.[5] The LNR Internal Ministry also reported on August 22 that Rosgvardia (Russian national guard) units conducted security for Russian Flag Day celebrations in Starobilsk.[6] Ukraine‘s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) reported that Rosgvardia elements in Dovzhansk (formerly Sverdlovsk), Luhansk Oblast are not subordinate to the local LNR forces and that Rosgvardia conducted a search of an LNR official in Dovzhansk.[7] The deployment of Russian security forces to police-occupied areas of Luhansk Oblast supports ISW’s previous assessment that LNR residents and possibly militia forces may be unwilling to continue fighting now that they have reached the Luhansk Oblast borders.[8] Recent intensified Russian efforts to forcibly mobilize residents in Luhansk likely exacerbated this disillusionment, and Russian authorities may be increasing Russian security forces’ presence in Luhansk to suppress any internal instability and/or because they are losing confidence in indigenous Luhansk forces.[9]

Russian authorities’ deployment of Rosgvardia elements to security duties in occupied Luhansk Oblast diverts these forces from operations elsewhere in Ukraine, likely contributing to the broader Russian failure to translate limited tactical gains into operational successes. ISW previously assessed that Russian forces had likely exhausted their momentum from territorial gains around Avdiivka and Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast – a very small section of the whole Ukrainian theater – partially due to their inability to allocate sufficient resources to offensive operations.[10] LNR forces’ unwillingness to fight in the war, coupled with Rosgvardia forces’ presence in the rear instead of near the front will likely contribute to continued Russian failures to make significant territorial gains.

Russian officials may have conducted a false flag event in Donetsk City on August 23 to justify attacks against Ukrainian government buildings on August 24, Ukrainian Independence Day. Social media networks in Donetsk City reported that a strike caused damage to the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) administrative building, where DNR Head Denis Pushilin works.[11] Pushilin was reportedly absent at the time of the strike. Russian media framed the attack as a direct Ukrainian strike on a DNR government building, potentially to set information conditions for retaliatory strikes against Ukrainian government buildings on Ukrainian Independence Day.[12] Ukrainian government authorities previously warned government workers in Kyiv to work from home the week of August 22 to 26 and cited concerns that Russian forces will target Ukrainian government assets as part of an extended missile and artillery campaign on Independence Day.[13] Russian-backed head of Kherson’s occupation administration Kirill Stremousov also claimed on August 22 that his administration was preparing for Ukrainian provocations on Independence Day, which could have been conditions-setting for a false-flag attack.[14]

Unverifiable sources reported that axis commanders in Ukraine are reporting directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin, bypassing both the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov in the chain of command. Independent Russian outlet Vazhnye Istorii or iStories quoted unnamed sources within the Russian General Staff stating that Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has lost Putin’s trust after the initial phase of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that failed despite Shoigu’s assurances of a swift victory.[15] The sources claimed that Putin now bypasses Shoigu and interacts directly with Commander of Central Military District Alexander Lapin who oversees the “central” group of forces in Ukraine, and the Commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces Sergey Surovikin who commands the “southern” group of forces. ISW cannot independently verify the validity of this report, but if the report is true, it indicates that Putin is also bypassing Gerasimov.

Key Takeaways

  • Russian government sources confirmed that Russian authorities are bringing Ukrainian children to Russia and having Russian families adopt them. The forcible transfer of children from one group to another “with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group” is a violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
  • Russian authorities are deploying security forces to Luhansk Oblast likely in response to waning support for the war and growing unwillingness to fight among Luhansk residents. This deployment diverts these forces from operations elsewhere in Ukraine, likely contributing to the broader Russian failure to translate limited tactical gains into operational successes.
  • Russian officials may have conducted a false flag event in Donetsk City to justify attacks against Ukrainian government buildings on Ukrainian Independence Day.
  • Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks northeast and south of Bakhmut, on the northwestern outskirts of Donetsk City, and southwest of Donetsk City.
  • Russian forces made limited gains east of Mykolaiv City and in northwestern Kherson Oblast.
  • Ukrainian forces continued to strike Russian military assets and ground lines of communication (GLOCs) in Kherson Oblast.
  • Russian federal subjects (regions) are continuing to increase one-time enlistment bonuses for recruits, and are likely recruiting personnel with no prior military experience for specialist positions.
  • Ukrainian partisan activity continues to disrupt Russian occupation activities.

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