Summary: Russia conducted another large missile strike against Ukraine striking mostly civilian targets.
Human Cost Of The War
Russia launched 44 missiles of various types at Kharkiv, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Sumy Oblasts. Ukrainian air defense shot down 22 of them. This was the first time in months that no drones were fired with missiles as Russia was experimenting with a new approach of missiles releasing decoys to overwhelm Ukrainian defense systems. As only half of the missiles were intercepted, the idea seems to have worked. The Council of Europe condemned this mass attack on civilians and the US Biden administration called on Congress to provide more aid to Ukraine.
At least 12 Ukrainian civilians were killed and at least 96 injured in Russian attacks during the day.
- Missile attacks on Kyiv hit several apartment buildings, a hospital, and a school in Kyiv injuring at least 22 people including four children.
- Missiles struck two multi-story apartment buildings in Bucha, Kyiv Oblast injuring three civilians.
- Missiles struck the central square of Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast killing a woman and injuring another.
- Missiles struck several apartment buildings in Kharkiv killing eight people, including a woman and her 8-year-old daughter. At least 60 people were injured in the attacks.
- Later in the day, another missile strike hit a school and apartment buildings in Kharkiv injuring another 8 civilians.
- Russia dropped six guided bombs on Beryslav, Kherson Oblast. One bomb targeted an apartment building killing one woman and injuring another. Another bomb struck a kindergarten.
- A woman was injured in Kherson when the city came under attack.
- Russia dropper bombs on the village of Sablukivka, Kherson Oblast hitting a house and killing the two women who lived there.
Kharkiv after missile strike
Another hit on Kharkiv
A missile strike in Kyiv
Another hit in Kyiv
An apartment in Beryslav hit by guided bombs
According to Ukrainian General Staff, Russian troops suffered 960 casualties over the last day.
Situation On The Ground And Air
Sloboda Front – Initiative Russia – Current Target: Recapture Kupyansk
Positional fighting continues but there were no confirmed advances in the sector. Russian forces continue to claim they are advancing from Krokhmalne towards Berestove (16.5 miles SE of Kupyansk) and towards Tabaivka (14 miles SE of Kupyansk). These claims have not been confirmed.
Siversky Donetsk Front – Initiative Russia – Current Targets: Zherebets River, Siversk, & Chasiv Yar
Russian forces have marginally advanced towards Yampolivka (12 miles W of Kreminna).
Donetsk Front – Initiative Russia – Current Targets: Avdiivka, Pervomaiske, Novomykhailivka, and to advance from occupied Marinka
Russian forces advanced into western Stepove (5 miles NW of Avdiivka). Russian forces have also advanced northwest of Novomykhailivka.
Zaporizhia Front – Initiative Russia – Targets: Recapture Staromaiorske, Urozhaine, & Robotyne
Positional fighting continues but neither side made any confirmed advances. Russian forces claim to have made marginal advances towards Robotyne, but this has not been confirmed.
Left Bank Front – Initiative Russia – Current Target: Recapture Krynky
Positional fighting continues but there were no confirmed nor claimed advances in the sector.
Ukraine Ally Support
Western nations gathered with Ukraine at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany to confirm their commitment to Ukraine and to discuss plans to come alongside Ukraine and develop an industrial base. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reported that the recent audit of US military assistance to Ukraine showed that Ukraine is using the equipment provided correctly. Western nations also pledged to provide more long-range missiles to Ukraine.
NATO ordered $1.2 billion in artillery ammunition from the French company Nexter and German company Junghans Defense to replenish its stock that was provided to Ukraine. It is likely that even this new ammunition will be provided to Ukraine in the future.
The Turkish parliament approved Sweden’s application to join NATO leaving only Hungary’s approval in the balance. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to come to Budapest to negotiate their approval of NATO accession.
Canada pledged $20 million in military aid which include 10 rigid-hull boats for maritime search and rescue operations.
Germany will deliver six decommissioned helicopters with spare parts to Ukraine.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to discuss opening up four more border crossings between the two countries.
Russia News
Russian defense experts are worried that Russian forces will be unable to break out of positional warfare and begin counteroffensives again because of Ukraine’s proven ability to effectively use drones against any concentration of Russian forces.
The UN Committee on the Rights of Children convened to discuss the alleged illegal deportation of children from occupied Ukraine to Russia. At least 20,000 children have so far been identified as being abducted.
Russia was already dealing with problems of low birthrate before invading Ukraine, and the impact of using hundreds of thousands of young men in the fight against Ukraine has created even a deeper problem. President Putin declared 2024 as “The Year Of The Family” and instituted social benefits for families of three or more children.
The Russian Baltic Fleet conducted a military defense exercise to compete with the ongoing NATO Steadfast Defender 2024 exercises.
Russia Ally Support
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and Palestinian National Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al Maliki on the sidelines of a UN Security Council meeting in New York. They discussed strengthening their relationship and an end to the fighting in the Gaza Strip.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, proxy Russian leader in Transnistria, the Russian-occupied region of Moldova, calls for military preparedness including military exercises and drills.
Source Materials
Institute for the Study of War – understandingwar.org
The Kyiv Post – kyivpost.com
The Kyiv Independent – kyivindependent.com
Militaryland.net (maps)