Summary: One of my main news sources took a day off so what I could glean was not much.
Russia 3 – Avdiivka/Marinka Line (Outskirts of Occupied Donetsk City)
Russia launched its third massive assault on Avdiivka with hordes of Russian infantry surging directly into Ukrainian fire. The fields are thick with dead Russian bodies in a strategy of exhausting Ukrainian defenders with sheer numbers. Eight tanks were destroyed, and 700 Russian soldiers were killed or injured. Ukrainian forces held their ground on the first day of the assault. Some Russian troops planted mines behind their comrades to prevent them from retreating.
Ukraine 4 – Liberate Eastern Kherson
Russian forces continued to heavily strike the west bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast to dissuade Ukrainian forces from establishing a beachhead on the left bank. Cluster munitions were fired against civilians, which is a war crime, in Chornobaivka killing three and injuring 11 others. A total of 119 attacks were made firing 638 weapons. A children’s library in Kherson was also targeted, but there were no casualties in that direct hit. Ukraine now has two infantry units each numbering 300 personnel on the east bank.
Russian authorities have stated that all Ukrainians living in occupied regions will be deported if they have not taken Russian citizenship by January 1, 2024. If this is carried out, it will be another war crime.
Finland closed all but one of their border crossings with Russia following a surge in Middle Eastern migrants orchestrated by Russia. Since Finland joined NATO, over 700 asylum seekers have crossed over from Russia to Finland as part of Russia’s retaliation.