Ukraine’s General Staff: Russia pounds vicinities of Kupiansk with mortars and artillery

Russian forces continue to attack Ukrainian positions in Kharkiv Oblast (eastern Ukraine), the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported in its daily frontline update on 22 August 2023. Over the last day, there were around 26 combat engagements between Ukrainian defenders and invading Russian troops, according to Ukraine’s General Staff. Within 24 hours, the Russian army launched two missile strikes and 38 air strikes and shelled positions of Ukrainian troops and residential areas of Ukrainian towns using multiple rocket launchers and other artillery systems, the General Staff reported. Russian attacks resulted in civilian casualties, injuries, and damage to residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure. In the Kupiansk sector, which covers Kharkiv and Luhansk oblasts in eastern Ukraine, Russia used artillery and mortars to shell the following towns: Berestove, Tverdokhlibove, and Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi (a southeastern suburb of Kupiansk) in Kharkiv Oblast. In the Lyman sector (Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts), Russia’s Air Force carried out air strikes in the areas of Tverdokhlibove and Serebryanske forestry in Luhansk Oblast. Bilohorivka in the Luhansk Oblast and Zvanivka, Vesele, Spirne, and Fedorivka in the Donetsk Oblast suffered from intense Russian artillery fire. In the Shakhtarsk sector, which covers parts of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, Russian forces launched air strikes in the areas of Vodiane and Urozhaine in the Donetsk Oblast. More than ten towns suffered from the Russian artillery shelling, including Vodiane, Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva, and Urozhaine in the Donetsk Oblast. In the Zaporizhzhia sector, the Russian army launched air strikes in the areas of Mala Tokmachka, Yehorivka, and Robotyne. Over 15 settlements came under Russian artillery fire, including Poltavka, Huliaypole, Huliaypolske, Chervone,  and Zatyshya in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

In the Bakhmut sector (Donetsk Oblast), Russian Air Force launched an air strike near Ivanivske. More than 15 settlements suffered from Russian artillery shelling, including Minkivka, Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, and Diliyivka. In the Avdiivka sector (Donetsk Oblast), Ukrainian troops successfully repelled attacks by Russian forces near Avdiivka. Russian artillery shelled the following towns: Novokalynove, Stepove, Avdiivka, Tonenke, and Umanske. In the Mariinka sector (Donetsk Oblast), Ukrainian Armed Forces continued to hold back the Russian offensive in the area of Mariinka. Mariinka, Pobeda, Yelizavetivka, Novomykhailivka, Katerynivka, and Antonivka in Donetsk Oblast suffered from Russian artillery fire. In the Siverskyi and Slobozhanskyi sectors (northeastern and eastern parts of the country), the Russian army used artillery and mortars to shell more than 15 settlements, including Rozhkovychi, Seredyna-Buda, Miropilske, Riasne in Sumy Oblast and Pletenivka, Vovchansk, Chuhunivka in Kharkiv Oblast.

Frontline report: Ukrainians launch strikes on Russian rear, Russian propagandists spread fakes to distract

In the Kherson sector (southern Ukraine), the Russian Air Force launched an air strike near Romashkove in Kherson Oblast. Novovorontsovka, Kherson, and Komyshany in Kherson Oblast suffered from the Russian artillery shelling. The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to conduct counteroffensive operations in the Melitopol and Berdiansk directions on the southern front, consolidating their positions and carrying out counter-battery measures, according to the General Staff. Over the past day, Ukraine’s Air Force carried out nine strikes on the areas of concentration of Russian troops and two air strikes to hit Russian air defense systems, the General Staff reported. Ukraine’s rocket forces and artillery units carried out two strikes on the areas of concentration of Russian troops, weapons, and military equipment, destroyed two ammunition dumps and one heavy flamethrower system TOS-1A, according to Ukraine's General Staff. Related:

• ISW: Ukrainian forces make tactically significant advances near Robotyne
• Defense Ministry: Ukraine continues to advance in Zaporizhzhia Oblast
• West's fear feeds Putin's ambition: not arming Ukraine counteroffensive risks wider war
• Air superiority is key to success on the ground - Ukraine Air Forces spox