Ukraine – 3/24/23 Sitrep
By: Robert Homans & Bohdan Chomiak
March 24, 2023
News From the Battlefield
Is the Wagner Group Leaving Ukraine? - According to Ukrainska Pravda, citing a report in Bloomberg, Prigozhin announced yesterday that the Wagner Group will be winding down its operations in Ukraine and re-focusing its attention on Africa. There are several reasons why this might happen, including:
· Wagner has suffered a large number of casualties fighting around Bakhmut, especially among its most experienced troops.
· Prisoners who signed the agreement with Wagner, that they would earn a full pardon if they were able to serve 6 months, are coming close to earning their freedom and are free to leave. This will not only reduce the number of troops, but for those who are reaching the end of their conscription or enlistment, it can also substantially reduce their willingness to fight – why take inordinate risks when you’re about to complete your obligation? In the Navy, we had a term called “Short Time,” “Short” or simply “ST,” when people come to within 30 days of the end of their commitments. On the ship in which I served, I would often run into an enlisted man in a passageway who would greet me by saying, “Good morning Mr. Homans. I am ST!” Currently, there are many “STs” in the ranks of the Wagner Group.
· The Wagner Group is, at its core, a commercial organization, offering troops for hire, often in return for mining concessions. The opportunities are much greater in Africa than they are in Ukraine, including concessions for gold, diamonds, and oil.
· Would the departure of Wagner soldiers expose them to conscription into the regular Russian Army? Same question applying to prisoners whose 6-month commitment to Wagner has ended.
News of Russians Withdrawing from Nova Kahovka? – Apparently this report is somewhat untrue. Nova Kahovka is the town in Kherson Oblast adjacent to the Nova Kahovka Dam and the terminus of the North Crimea Canal the source of all of Crimea’s surface water. There have been reports that Russia had mined the Dam. What actually happened was the Russia has substantially downsized its presence in Nova Kahovka, likely trying to address manpower problems elsewhere, including around Vohledar and Avdiivka.
“Reporting From Ukraine” and “The Latest Denys” – Both are very interesting.
From looking at the tactical maps from both reports, the aperture around Bakhmut appears to be widening, giving Ukraine more control over the supply routes into Bakhmut. Reporting From Ukraine also mentions the increased use of Javelin Missiles against Russian armor. One of the recent arms packages from the United States included 5,000 Javelins, so it seems that some have made their way to the Front. No news yet about the deployment of the Bradleys and Strykers. These armored personnel carriers, rather than main battle tanks, will not treat the Russians kindly.
The Russians are trying to surround Avdiivka from the north and south. According to Denys the southern arm mostly includes separatists from the Donetsk People’s Republic. These are not considered as effective as regular Russian soldiers.
3/24/23 Sitrep
Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon March 23 to 12:00 noon March 24, 2023
Abbreviations:
RMA = Regional Military Administration SBU = Security Service of Ukraine
RASHISTS = russian Facists/all russian invaders
INTERNATIONAL
Friday March 24
12:01 Delfi: Lithuanian Foreign Minister will visit Kyiv today.
· At the same time, the goals of Gabrielus Landsberg's visit and the planned meetings are not officially announced. On the minister's agenda, published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there is also no information about this.
08:00 Danish Energy Agency: The operator of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline has been invited to take part in the lifting of an unknown object found near its pipe.
00:30 Radio Liberty: The European Union has made a statement on a new package of sanctions against Russia.
· According to journalists, the relevant information was made public by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
· "She was talking about the 11th package of EU sanctions against the Russian Federation, which will mainly concern the fight against circumventing the already introduced restrictive measures," Jozwiak added.
00:06 Eurasianet: Kazakhstan will block goods traveling to Russia as part of "parallel imports" from April 1.
· Kazakhstan does not apply sanctions and restrictions in trade with Russia. At this, the Kazakhstani authorities noted that the country would not become a platform for circumventing Western sanctions.
Thursday March 23
23:15 Neue Zurcher Zeitung: In the frontline cities of Ukraine, an armored car of neutral Switzerland Eagle I was seen, —.
· According to the publication, such equipment is manufactured by the Swiss company Mowag. It was recorded in Chasovoy Yar, Donetsk region.
· Against the background of such information, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs launched an investigation together with Germany to further clarify the facts.
22:45: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni makes an emotional speech about inappropriate proposals to pacify Russia through territorial concessions from Ukraine.
21:26: Protests against pension reform continue in Paris, says CLpress.
· Police detain people and use tear gas.
· Protesters, in turn, use Molotov cocktails.
· Protesters set fire to the city hall building in French Bordeaux.
· King Charles III has postponed his upcoming trip to France.
20:46: The Swedish Parliament supported the government's proposal to transfer a new $630 million military assistance package to Ukraine.
· This was reported on the website of the Swedish Parliament.
· Ukraine will be supplied with tanks, Archer self-propelled artillery installations and a robotic complex "97", as well as ammunition.
20:31 Reuters: The World Organization of Athletics has renewed its membership of Russia, but athletes from Russia and Belarus will still not be allowed into international competitions.
19:35: The EU summit supported the joint purchase of ammunition for Ukraine and allowed the transfer of missiles.
· This is stated in a joint statement by the leaders of the EU states.
· "The European Council welcomes the agreement reached in the Council on the urgent supply of surface-to-surface ammunition and artillery ammunition to Ukraine, as well as, if necessary, missiles," the statement said.
18:12: Spain will send Ukraine the first 6 Leopard tanks at the end of next week.
· This was announced by the Spanish Ministry of Defense on Twitter.
· According to the ministry, the work is being carried out in record time.
16:13: Finnish Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen announced the transfer of three Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, according to the Finnish publication MTV.
· The transfer of Leopard 2 is part of the 14th military assistance package, a decision that Finnish President Sauli Niinistö approved today at the government's suggestion.
15:38 Reuters: Despite a Putin arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, a Russian president will not be arrested in Hungary if he comes to the country.
· This was stated by the head of the administration of the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán Gergey Guillas.
15:21: Slovakia has handed over the first four MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine, Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nagy said.
· According to him, the rest of the aircraft will be transferred to Ukraine in the coming weeks.
14:33: The Icelandic Parliament recognized the Holodomor as a genocide of the Ukrainian people.
· This was reported in the Office of the President.
14:14: Finnish President Sauli Niiniste signed NATO accession laws during a government meeting, according to the broadcast of the ceremony.
14:00: The IAEA will not demilitarize the area around the Zaporizhzhia NPP, says IAEA Chairman Rafael Grossi.
· According to him, this issue is no longer being considered due to difficulties with the implementation of this process.
· Now the organization will focus on the safety of the station itself. At present, it is important that ZNPP is not attacked or its territory for combat operations.
12:12 The Guardian is NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg: Putin doesn't stop. The West should be ready for long-term assistance to Ukraine
· Therefore, according to him, the West must prepare for a long conflict in Ukraine, it is a "war of attrition."
NATIONAL
Friday March 24
11:30: Ukraine returns the bodies of 83 more fallen defenders.
· The Ministry of Reintegration reports that the return took place today. The bodies of the defenders were returned from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in accordance with the norms of the Geneva Convention.
11:14 a.m. Ukrenergo: Consumption restrictions apply in Zhytomyr region.
· In other regions, there are no restrictions on Ukrenergo's networks,
· The situation remains difficult in the regions along the front line, where the Russians are constantly shelling the networks. Due to the danger of shelling by repair crews, the restoration of power supply in these regions is difficult.
08:46: In the evening and at night, the Russians used Kh-59 missiles in the south, air bombs in the Sumy region and "Shaheda" in the north, as well as hit Kryvyi Rih, - spokesman of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuri Ignat.
· According to him, the Russians also used the Kh-31 anti-location missile.
07:10 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Over the past day, the Russians launched 37 air and 4 missile strikes, one of which is on Kramatorsk. They also carried out 82 attacks from MLRS.
· The Russian Federation focuses its main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Liman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Mariinsky and Shakhtarsky directions. Thanks to professional and coordinated actions, Ukrainian defenders repulsed more than 79 attacks on them.
· Due to the significant losses suffered by Russians every day, they decided to increase the number of beds in existing hospitals operating in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk region
· In the settlement of Troitske, the number of beds of the military hospital has doubled, from 200 to 400. At the same time, all wounded officers were evacuated to the territory of the Russian Federation by helicopters in the period from March 17 to March 18.
· Over the past day, Ukrainian aviation has inflicted 12 strikes on areas of concentration of Russian personnel and military equipment. Also, Ukrainian defenders shot down two guided aircraft missiles Kh-59 and 4 UAVs of different types, - General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
· Units of rocket troops and artillery, at the same time, hit the control point, the area of concentration of manpower, weapons and military equipment of the Russian Federation, the anti-aircraft missile system and 2 warehouses of fuel and lubricants.
Thursday March 23
23:31: Ukraine plans to launch a unified state register of weapons in June this year, said Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.
· The minister also noted that all weapons that were legally issued to citizens at the beginning of a full-scale invasion are registered in a single base and have no problems in controlling their use.
21:06: During a working trip to the regions of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the European Council directly on the road and noted five key dangers that delay the war:
1. Significant delay in the supply of long-range missiles to Ukraine.
2. Ukraine needs more modern aircraft than the MiG.
3. Delaying the EU with the adoption of new sanctions packages against Russia.
4. We need a summit on the "formula of peace" offered by Ukraine.
5. It is impossible to delay the decisions on Ukrainian European integration.
19:57: The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine denied information about the withdrawal of the Russian Armed Forces from Nova Kakhovka.
· "Information about the alleged withdrawal of the enemy from this settlement was made public due to incorrect use of the available data," the General Staff wrote.
19:50: Two more children were returned home from the occupied territory of Ukraine.
· This was announced by Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Lubinets.
· According to the Ombudsman, a 9-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy returned home.
19:20 The Guardian: Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on EU leaders to increase the supply of long-range missiles.
· According to the publication, the President of Ukraine stated this during a speech at the EU summit held in Brussels.
· The President also spoke about the results of his recent trip to Bakhmut.
18:30 Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 18:00 on March 23:
· "During the day, the enemy inflicted 2 air and 2 missile strikes, as well as carried out 18 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems.
· In the Bakhmut direction, the enemy does not abandon attempts to seize the city of Bakhmut, where constant positional battles continue."
· "As of March 22, 2023, all units of the occupier's army, which were stationed in the settlement of Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region, left the city.
· This was preceded by a bypass of the nearest dwellings of the local population for profit.
· The occupiers "confiscated" household and electronic equipment, jewelry, clothing items and mobile phones from the civilian population in large quantities."
· "In a number of settlements of the temporarily captured left-bank part of the Kherson region, the invaders began searching for citizens with a pro-Ukrainian position.
· To do this, they use the lists of ATO participants, military pensioners and lists of those persons who served in the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine."
· "The aviation of the Defense Forces in a day inflicted 11 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment of the occupiers."
17:56: The average speed of mobile Internet in Ukraine must be at least 2 Mbps.
· This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Development of Education, Science and Technology Mykhailo Fedorov.
· "Now we are preparing changes to the legislation. This will allow the state to control speed. And you need to test it and influence the quality of the mobile Internet," Fedorov wrote.
17:15 press service of the company: "Ukrzaliznytsia" launches the train "Lviv-Kramatorsk".
· It will start running from Lviv on April 8, and from Kramatorsk - on April 9.
16:56: The National Agency on Corruption Prevention has added Austrian bank Raiffeisen Bank International to the list of international sponsors of Russia's war against Ukraine.
· This was reported by the press service of the NACP.
· This decision was made in connection with the continuation of the bank's work on the territory of the Russian Federation and the official recognition of the so-called "DPR" and "LPR" through its representative office in Russia.
16:00 State Emergency Services: More than 335 thousand ammunition rounds have been neutralized since the beginning of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
14:56: Representation of the International Criminal Court will begin operating in Ukraine, according to the Prosecutor General's Office.
· Today, Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin signed the relevant agreement in The Hague.
· The prosecutor general also called on the ICC to try Putin in absentia if he cannot be arrested and taken to court in person.
12:39: In the Black Sea, 8 Russian ships are on alert, of which 3 are carriers of cruise missiles "Kalibr", the total volley of which is 20 missiles.
· According to the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russians also deployed 2 ships in the Sea of Azov, and 7 in the Mediterranean, of which 3 are carriers of "Kalibr" cruise missiles, the total volley of which is 20 missiles.
Mordor - russia
Friday March 24
10:43 a.m. Institute for the Study of War: Prigozhin refuted the Kremlin's claims that Russia is at war with NATO in Ukraine, and questioned the existence of "Nazis" in Ukraine, which are constantly talked about by the Russian authorities.
· "Prigozhin said that Russia is fighting 'exclusively with Ukrainians' who are equipped with equipment provided by NATO and some 'Russophobic' mercenaries who voluntarily support Ukraine, but not with NATO itself," experts say.
10:22: SBU materials seized "hidden" assets of Medvedchuk's wife Oksana Marchenko for more than UAH 440 million
· The court decision concerns 6.8% of the shares of PJSC "Electrometallurgical Plant "Dneprospetsstal" them. A.M. Kuzmina" in Zaporozhye, which Marchenko owns through three offshore companies.
· This strategically important enterprise specializes in industrial production of almost 1 thousand tons of types of steel and hardware.
09:34 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the temporarily occupied Donetsk.
· Smoke rises in the Kiev district of the city. There is no information about the victims.
09:06: In the Russian city of Aramil (Sverdlovsk region), a fire broke out in the morning at a large plant - RosSMI.
· The ignition area is already more than 3 thousand square meters. Kv. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
Thursday March 23
17:38: "Wagnerians" carry out forced deportation of residents of the suburbs of Bakhmut, Donetsk region.
· This was reported by the Center for National Resistance.
· According to the central nervous system, residents are filtered, after which they are deported to the piermi and other remote regions of Russia.
13:47: Yaroslavl Motor Plant is on fire in Russia, – Ministry of Emergency Situations.
· It produces engines, including for Russian military equipment.
13:20 Social Networks: In the temporarily occupied Crimea, in the village of Hrushivka near Sudak, unknown persons hung Ukrainian flag.
DONETSK
Friday March 24
10:27: The death toll from the missile strike on Kostiantynivka has risen to five, - the State Emergency Service.
09:20 Prosecutor General's Office: Tonight, Russians shelled the city of Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region.
· As a result of the rocket's hit at the point of indestructibility, three people were killed and two were injured.
08:34 Donetsk RMA: On March 23, Russians killed 3 residents of Donetsk region: 2 in Kostiantynivka and 1 in the city of Chasiv Yar.
· Another 5 people in the region were injured.
ZAPORIZHIA
Thursday March 23
23:46: The State Emergency Service of Ukraine has published a video of the destruction of the enemy aircraft bomb FAB-500 in Zaporizhia region.
12:24: Mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov said that a policeman-collaborator Serhiy Skovirko was injured in the temporarily occupied city as a result of the explosion, he is in hospitals.
DNIPRO
Friday March 24
07:37 Dnipro RMA: This night, the Russian army attacked Kryvyi Rih with drones.
· One "Shahed" military from Air Command East shot down. There are also hits of 5 UAVs. There are no dead or injured. The consequences of the attack are being clarified.
03:50 Social Networks: Explosions were heard again in Kryvyi Rih,
02:58 Social Networks: An explosion was heard in Kryvyi Rih.
04:14 Kryvii Roh RMA: "Enemy attack by Shahid drones. There are hits. We don't shoot or post anything on social mediaand."
KHERSON
Friday March 24
09:49 Kherson RMA: Russian invaders attacked peaceful settlements of Kherson region 74 times.
· Residential areas of Kherson were shelled by the Russian military 4 times. A medical facility, private and apartment buildings were damaged in the city. 1 person died.
00:49: The commander of the Kherson, Brigadier General Mykhailo Drapaty, presented Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a gift made of steel of a torn artillery barrel with the inscription "Crimea"
Thursday March 23
11:37: Aftermath of the night shelling of Kherson - RMA
· Residential buildings and a hospital in the city center came under Russian attack.
10:06 Kherson RMA: Russians attacked peaceful settlements of Kherson region 54 times.
· Residential areas of Kherson were shelled by the Russian military 5 times. Private and apartment buildings were damaged in the city. 1 person was killed, 2 more residents of the Kherson region were injured.
Wednesday March 22
23:30: In the Kherson region, the duration of curfew has been reduced. This was announced by the head of the Kherson RMA Alexander Prokudin.
· From March 24, it will start at 20:00 and last until 6:00.
20:45 Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Kherson.
18:03 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
14:21 Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Kherson.
13:51: In the Kherson region, near the village of Velyka Oleksandrivka, a man blew up on a Russian mine.
· "Another tragic incident occurred in a forest belt outside the village. The 48-year-old victim lost part of his leg. The injured person was hospitalized," kherson RMA said.
12:40 Social Networks: Explosions heard again in Kherson
12:29 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the temporarily occupied Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region, according to reports.
KYIV
Friday March 24
00:13 Kyiv RMA: reports on the threat of an attack by Russian drones and urges residents of the region to stay in shelters.
Thursday March 23
16:27: From April 1, the operation of the Hydropark metro station is resumed in Kyiv, mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
· According to him, the lobby No. 1 will work for the time being. The station is located on the ground section of the metro, so it will be closed to passengers during air alarms. At the same time, trains past the Dnepr station, as now, will follow without stopping.
12:47 Kyiv RMA: Destruction of explosive objects is planned in Brovary district today.
· In this regard, in Kyiv and some communities of the Kyiv region, the sounds of explosions can be heard.
ZHYTOMIR
Wednesday March 22
13:01 Ukrenergo: In the Zhytomyr region, due to significant damage to networks, as a result of repeated attacks by Russians, there are consumption restrictions.
· In other regions, there are no restrictions on Ukrenergo's networks. The situation remains difficult in the regions along the front line, where the Russians are constantly shelling the networks.
KHMELNITSKY
Wednesday March 22
10:56 Sumy RMA: 2 people killed, 10 more injured, as a result of a Russian night attack on Sumy region
· On the night of March 24, the Russian military struck a massive blow to four communities of the Sumy region with various types of weapons. Air strikes were recorded, shelling from the MLRS also used a kamikaze drone.
00:48 Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in the Sumy region.
00:17 Social Networks: Explosions heard in Sumy region
· 22 mortar shelling damaged private residential buildings, farm buildings, power lines. There were no casualties.
Comparing Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to Russian invasion of Ukraine using Wikipedia and Ukraine Ministry of Defense Daily Bulletins. Soviet and Russian military losses not including captured equipment.
SOURCES
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/
https://espreso.tv/
https://cutt.ly/Blyskavka
www.ubn.news