UAF – Ukrainian Forces
UAS – According to Ukrainian Sources
RF – Russian Forces
RS – According to Russian Sources
Summary of the Events
UAF made some progress pushing RF back from Bakhmut and advancing on Dibrova near Kreminna. RF may have finally taken the center of Marinka back, but that is not yet confirmed.
Eastern Ukraine: (Eastern Kharkiv and Western Luhansk Oblast – UAF Counter-offensive)
Svatove – RF were repelled attacking near Stelmakhivka and Novoselivske (9 miles W) [UAS & RS].
Kreminna – RF attempted to attack UAF positions near Chervonopopivka (3 miles N), Makiyivka (14 miles NW), and 6 miles S at Hryhorivka, Serebrianka, and Bilohorivka [UAS]. RF attacked UAF near Dibrova (3 miles SW) which suggests that UAF have advanced to that area [RS].
UAF struck rear areas with HIMARS rockets at Shchastia (9 miles N of Luhansk city) killing 16 Russian soldiers and destroying 12 pieces of military equipment [RS]. UAF also fired HIMARS rockets on Svatove, Novoselivka, and Alchevsk [RS].
Donetsk Oblast: (Russia’s Main Objective)
Bakhmut – RF lost positions south of Bakhmut for which they had fought for all Autumn [RS]. RF made unsuccessful attacks on eight locations around Bakhmut [UAS].
Avdiivka – RF made seven unsuccessful attacks around Avdiivka [UAS]. But RS claim that RF finally broke through and have taken the center of Marinka. Another RS claimed that UAF pushed RF out of positions south of Marinka and regained those lost positions.
Southern Ukraine: (Eastern Kherson, Southern Zaporizhia, and Western Donetsk)
RF continue pulling troops back from the Dnipro River line in Eastern Kherson. UAF are studying the withdrawal carefully afraid it is a trap to get them to cross the Dnipro River and then ambushed.
UAF fired HIMARS rockets at rear positions in Southern Ukraine in Berdyansk, Tokmak, and Polohy injuring at least 150 Russian soldiers and 10 pieces of military equipment.
Russia is claiming that Ukraine is conducting an information operation to destabilize occupied Crimea. Ukraine has called on Ukrainian families to flee Crimea as Russia has agreed to surrender Crimea. The operation is intended to bring panic to Russians living in Crimea.
Life in Occupied Ukraine
A 24-hour curfew has been imposed on cities in occupied Zaporizhia region as partisans have been conducting successful sabotage campaigns.
Other News
Russian President Vladimir Putin did not get what he desired from his meeting with Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko. Neither talked about the Russian invasion of Ukraine with both noting that Belarus still faces a Western threat from NATO countries. This has been the line used by Lukashenko to argue not getting involved in the invasion of Ukraine, and with Putin also reiterating the line, it is apparent that Putin has given up trying to convince Belarus to join in the fight against Ukraine.
Russia launched 35 Iranian-made drones against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, but UAF shot down 30 of them before they struck their targets. But one that did get through in Kyiv did manage to hit a critical energy infrastructure target. 23 of the drones targeted Kyiv, and all but five were shot down. All drones targeting other regions of Ukraine were eliminated before they hit their targets.
Officials of the rebel Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) continue to publicly clash with Russian officials showing a lack of cohesion. DNR officials are detaining trucks traveling with supplies from Crimea to Russian troops in Southern Ukraine for no apparent reason, even illegally confiscating their vehicles.
International Support
The UK announced another $304 million of artillery ammunition to be delivered to Ukraine over 2023.