UKRAINE WAR BRIEF DAILY DRAFT
For: 2024-04-23
Slava Ukraini! In early 2022 I began a Telegram channel aggregating news from a number of sources daily on the war in Ukraine. Since June 2023 I have provided a daily draft for the Ukraine War Brief Podcast collecting news from over 60 sources daily, much of which forms the basis of the script. While the Podcast is on hiatus I will make this Draft available here both on my own Substack and The People’s Media for those who wish to keep up with events on a daily basis.
INSIDE UKRAINE
ALONG THE CONTACT LINE
GSAFU Morning Report
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its situation update at 06:00 on Apr. 23 stated that it was day 790 of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
During the past day, 86 combat engagements took place. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy carried out 6 missile strikes, 77 air strikes, and 100 MLRS attacks across the positions of our troops and settlements. As a result of the Russian attacks, unfortunately, there are dead and wounded among the civilian population. Destruction and damage to residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure.
At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers continue to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupying troops, exhausting the enemy along the entire front line.
More than 120 settlements in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Mykolaiv oblasts came under enemy fire.
Ukrainian missile forces struck 1 command post, 2 air defense systems, and 1 concentration of troops
Air Force Daily Report
The Ukrainian Air Force in its situation update at 06:00 stated that during the previous day they launched air strikes on 2 anti-aircraft missile systems and 16 concentrations of troops, weapons, and military equipment
On the night of April 23, 2024, Russian occupiers attacked Ukraine with two ballistic missiles "Iskander-M" from Belgorod region. (Russia) and 16 Shahed UAVs from the cape of chauda (tot Ukrainian Qirim) and kurs фkoí̈ obl. (RF).
By means of anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, plus electronic warfare. 15 Shaheds were shot down by defenders last night in Mykolaiv, Odessa, Kyiv and Cherkasy oblasts.
The Khortytsia operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the Kup’yans’k, Lyman, and Bakhmut axes, in the northeastern part of Ukraine. )
Kup’yans’k axis: The enemy did not conduct any offensive (assault) operations in this area. Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold their positions.
Lyman axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled 19 attacks near Terny, Tors’ke (Donetsk oblast), the Serebryans’ke forest, Nadiya and Novojehorivka (Luhansk oblast) where the occupiers attempted to breach Ukrainian defensive lines.
Bakhmut axis: Ukrainian forces repelled 16 enemy attacks in the vicinities of Zolotarivka, Spirne, Vyimka, Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, and Andriivka (Donetsk oblast).
The Tavria operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the Avdiivka, Novopavlivka, and Orikhiv axes, in the central-eastern and southeastern part of Ukraine.)
Avdiivka axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled 18 attacks in the vicinities of settlements of Novobakhmutivka, Novokalynove,Keramik, Ocheretyne, Berdychi, Semenivka, Umans’ke, Yasnobrodivka, Netailove and Pervomais’ke (Donetsk oblast) where the invaders, with air support, attempted to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their positions.
Novopavlivka axis: Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy in the vicinities of Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, Vodyane, Mykil’s’ke, and Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast). The invaders made more than 20 attempts to breach Ukrainian defense in that area.
Russia plans to bypass Vuhledar defenses amid heavy losses
The UK Ministry of Defence in their Apr. 23 intelligence update stated that in southern Donetsk Oblast, the Russian forces are plotting advances further west from Novomykhailivka in an effort to reduce casualties by circumventing the fortified defenses of Vuhledar.
On 22 April, the Russian Ministry of Defence claimed their forces had taken control of Novmykhalivka. The town is situated south of Marinka and north-east of Vulhedar, Donetsk. Novomykhalivka, has limited military strategic significance but lies on roads to further settlements that straddle both sides of the [Sukhi Yaly] river in southern Donetsk.
Russian forces reportedly entered the town on 9 February 2024, and reached the middle of the town by 24 March. The 79th Separate Air Assault Tavriia Brigade reportedly stated this required a force of 30,000 Russian personnel, with a loss of 300 pieces of equipment in the six months of fighting on the approach to the town.
From entering to clearing the town, a total distance of under 5km, took Russian forces 73 days. That was with the benefit of additional operational reserves. This demonstrates the slow but incremental advances Russian forces are making. On this axis, Russian forces will likely seek to advance towards the town of Kostyantynivka (not to be confused with Kostiantynivka west of Bakhmut, – Ed.), 2km west from Novomykhalivka.
Further advances north of Vulhedar could eventually allow Vulhedar’s defences to be bypassed. Those defences have caused extremely high casualties for Russian ground forces.
On 22 April, following the Russian claim on the fall of Novomykhailivka, Yevhen Shamataliuk, commander of Ukraine’s 79th Separate Air Assault Brigade, told TSN that Ukrainian troops were still in control of 15-20% of the settlement.
Orikhiv axis: The enemy conducted 3 attacks, with air support, on positions of Ukrainian defenders in the vicinities of Staromaiors’ke (Donetsk oblast), Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast).
The Odesa operational-strategic group
(Responsible for Kherson, Qırım, (also known as Crimea) and the Black Sea.)
Kherson axis: Ukrainian defenders continue to maintain their positions. Over the past day, the enemy carried out 7 unsuccessful assaults on the positions of the Ukrainian Defence Forces on the left bank of the Dnipro River.
TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Nothing to report.
THE HOME FRONT
Russian drone attack injures nine in Odesa
Russia launched a drone attack on Ukraine that injured nine people in the Black Sea port of Odesa, four of them children, and also targeted Kyiv, the capital, Ukraine's military officials said early on Tuesday. Reuters reports.
The injured children, which include two infants, have been hospitalised, as well as three of the injured adults, the governor of the Odesa region, Oleh Kiper, said on the Telegram messaging app.
Several residential buildings in the city were damaged and caught fire, he said. At least 14 apartments were damaged, the city administration added.
Ukraine's air force said Russia launched a total of 16 attack drones targeting Ukraine and two short-range Iskander ballistic missiles.
Air defence systems destroyed 15 of the drones over Ukraine's southern regions of Odesa and Mykolaiv, the central region of Cherkasy and the capital region of Kyiv, the air force said on Telegram. It did not say what happened to the missiles.
All the drones Russia launched on Kyiv were destroyed, Serhiy Popko, the head of the capital's military administration, said on Telegram, adding that there were no reports of damage or injuries from the attack.
Ukraine suspends consular services for men of conscription age abroad
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba confirmed reports about the suspension of consular services for Ukrainian men of conscription age who are abroad, according to the new mobilization law adopted on 11 April 2024. The law somehow increased fines and sanctions against mobilization dodgers, although, in the opinion of many frontline soldiers, it was still not strict enough to mobilize the necessary manpower.
In particular, Ukrainian men abroad will not be able to prolong or update their passports until they register at the military enlistment office in Ukraine. Those without legal exemptions from mobilization will have to serve.
Kuleba noted that protecting the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens abroad has been and remains a priority for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, the main priority is Ukraine’s survival under the current circumstances.
RUSSIAN WORLD
Russia warns Europe: if you take our assets, we have a response that will hurt
An ally of President Vladimir Putin warned Europe on Tuesday that Russia has already drafted legislation to retaliate if nearly $300 billion of Russian assets were seized by the West and used to help Ukraine. Reuters reports.
After President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in 2022, the United States and its allies prohibited transactions with Russia's central bank and finance ministry, blocking around $300 billion of sovereign Russian assets in the West.
Top officials in the United States want to seize the assets to help support Ukraine, though some bankers and European officials are worried that simply taking the assets would create a dangerous precedent.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Saturday including a bill with a provision that would allow the confiscation of Russian sovereign assets, though the lion's share of the assets are in Europe.
"We also have a prepared answer," Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of the Russian upper house of parliament [and Bond villain], was quoted as saying by state news agency RIA. "We have a draft law, which we are ready to consider immediately, on retaliatory measures. And the Europeans will lose more than we do,"
Matviyenko, who is a member of Russia's powerful Security Council, did not give specifics on what the response would be to the seizing of Russian assets which is still under discussion in the West.
Some Russian officials have suggested that if Russian assets are confiscated then foreign investors' assets stuck in special so-called type "C" accounts in Russia could face the same fate.
It is not clear exactly how much money is in these accounts.
Russia bombs Russia
Russia's air force dropped a massive missile on its own territory earlier this month, according to an independent media report. Politco reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's military has been regularly bombing Ukraine from the skies above its border regions, such as Belgorod, which has led to friendly fire incidents.
Last week, Russia's air force “dropped” an X-59 missile in the Belgorod region, 92 kilometers from the border with Ukraine, Russian independent media Astra reported on Telegram late Monday, citing its sources.
“The military had to destroy it on the spot. There were no victims,” Astra said.
Overall, at least 21 aerial bombs fell from Russian planes on Russia or occupied territories of Ukraine in March and April alone, Astra reported.
“There are no exact answers as to why this keeps happening,” the journalists wrote. POLITICO was not able to independently verify Astra's account.
NEWS WORLDWIDE
Lithuania to buy radars for Ukraine’s air defence, - Defence Minister
Lithuania plans to purchase and transfer radars to Ukraine to strengthen its air defence. This was stated by Lithuanian Defence Minister Laurinas Kasciunas, Censor.NET reports citing Army Inform.
"Lithuania seeks to fill another gap in Ukraine's air defence - we will buy radars. We are currently reviewing our priorities to contribute to Ukraine's security with airspace radar systems as soon as possible. All alternatives to the acquisition of air defence systems should be used and done urgently," Kasciunas said.
The minister noted that he had recently visited Ukraine and confirmed that air defence needs are Ukraine's most urgent priority.
He added that Ukrainians lack not only air defence systems but also ammunition. "In a few months, Ukraine is likely to face a shortage of ammunition again. Therefore, we need to look for opportunities to immediately provide ammunition. Currently, there is a good opportunity for this on the international markets," Kasciunas said.
MILITARY & TECH
Much of US military aid for Ukraine is already in Germany and Poland
A US source familiar with the provision of military aid to Ukraine said much of it is already pre-positioned in storage facilities in Germany and Poland, which would obviously cut down on the amount of time needed to get it into Ukraine. The source also said artillery shells would be among the first materials moved forward, CNN reports.
Due to the large quantity of material involved, it will take some time before the much-needed artillery ammunition and other supplies reach the frontline.
The supplies are crucial, given the current 10 to one that Russia currently enjoys in terms of artillery shells fired daily, as well as the lack of Ukraine’s air defense to counter Russian missile attacks deep in the country as well as extensive Russian bombing campaign along the frontline.
UK Announces Largest-Ever Military Aid Package for Ukraine
Rishi Sunak announces £500 million in funding and equipment to bolster Ukrainian defense Defence Express reports.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed that the UK would provide an additional £500 million in immediate funding to support the highest priority capabilities, including further ammunition, air defense and drones – taking its support this year to £3 billion.
The Ministry of Defense will also send its largest-ever single package of equipment from the UK, designed to help push back the russian invasion on land, sea and air. It includes:
60 boats including offshore raiding craft, rigid raiding craft and dive boats as well as maritime guns;
More than 1,600 strike and air defence missiles, as well as additional Storm Shadow long-range precision-guided missiles;
More than 400 vehicles, including 160 Husky protected mobility vehicles, 162 armoured vehicles and 78 all-terrain vehicles;
Nearly 4 million rounds of small arms ammunition.
Ahead of a visit to Poland and Germany, the Prime Minister reiterated that Ukraine’s security was central to all of Europe’s security. He said the UK would continue to work to galvanise the international community to support Ukraine’s defence.
That’s it for today’s Draft folks if you would like to keep up with events in Ukraine daily please consider subscribing, its free!
Feel free to share this update with your friends. Heroyam Slava!