ISW: Russia launched drone strikes on Kyiv from the Azov Sea

Russia conducted 15 drone strikes on Kyiv from the Azov Sea’s eastern coast, where previously Russia moved drones due to Ukraine’s capabilities to strike Crimea and Russian border regions.

byMaria Tril

04/08/2023

2 minute read

Illustrative photo: from open sources

ISW: Russia launched drone strikes on Kyiv from the Azov Sea

Ukrainian air defenses shot down all 15 Iranian-made Shahed-drones launched by Russian forces on 3 August, ISW reports. According to the Ukrainian Air Force Spokesperson Colonel Yuriy Ihnat, Russian forces launched the drones from occupied Crimea, Krasnodar Krai, and Kursk and Bryansk Oblasts. Ihnat added that Russian forces had moved many drone launch sites to the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov in Krasnodar Krai due to Ukrainian strike capabilities against Crimea and Russian border regions. Meanwhile, according to the US-based think tank, Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations on at least three sectors on 3 August: the Berdiansk (Zaporizhzhia-Donetsk Oblast border area) and Melitopol (western Zaporizhzhia Oblast) directions. Ukrainian officials stated that Ukrainian forces continued to advance in the Bakhmut direction. Director of the Planning Department of the Main Directorate Mykola Urshalovych stated that Ukrainian forces advanced up to 650m into Russian defenses along a 1.5km front in the Melitopol direction, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov stated on 3 August that the Ukrainian counteroffensive does not have a set deadline or schedule. Russian defensive lines along the front continue to be heavily mined, with some areas having three, four, or five mines per square meter, according to the Danilov. Earlier, British Intelligence stated

that undergrowth across the battlefields of southern Ukraine is likely one factor that slows the progress of combat and the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the South Other takeaways from the ISW report:

Russian forces conducted offensive operations along the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line, and in the western Donetsk-eastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast border area on 3 August and made advances in certain areas.
The Kremlin is attempting to establish favorable conditions to attract additional volunteers to serve in the Russian Armed Forces.
A report from Yale University’s Conflict Observatory supports ISW’s longstanding assessments that Russian and occupation authorities are using forced passportization measures to consolidate social and legal control over occupied areas of Ukraine.