38,000+ soldiers (late March 2022)[2][3][4] 50,000–62,000 soldiers (early April 2022)[5] 10,000–20,000 mercenaries (per European officials, early April 2022)[6][7][8] 300–500 Syrian and Libyan mercenaries (perISW, early April 2022)[9] 180,000 soldiers (per Ukraine, July 2023)[10]
In the winter of 2022–2023, Russia focused on capturing the city ofBakhmut, largely destroying the city inone of the bloodiest battles of the war, and fully capturing it in May 2023. In June 2023, Ukraine launchedanother major counteroffensive across the entire frontline, capturing some Russian positions along Bakhmut's outskirts and in southwestern Donetsk Oblast, though not making the major gains in the Donbas which had been sought. By November 2023, this counteroffensive had largely stalled in the east and Russia began making new offensive operations to capture territory, gaining control ofAvdiivka andMarinka in Donetsk Oblast by February 2024.[20][21]
Following the capture of Avdiivka, Russian forces advanced to form a salient northwest of it andcaptured the settlement ofOcheretyne in April 2024 and began contestingKrasnohorivka, southwest ofDonetsk, andChasiv Yar, west of Bakhmut, and launched anoffensive towards the city ofToretsk in June 2024. In late July 2024, Russiaincreased offensive maneuvers in the direction of the strategically important city ofPokrovsk, advancing significantly towards the city in August 2024.
Sporadic fighting had been taking place since 2014 between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists from theDonetsk People's Republic during thewar in Donbas.[22]
On 25 February, fierce fighting continued in the northern outskirts ofKharkiv, especially in the village ofTsyrkuny.[26] On 26 February, the governor ofKharkiv Oblast,Oleh Syniehubov, stated that the city ofKharkiv was still under Ukrainian control, and announced a curfew for the city.[27]
On 2 March, Russianparatroopers landed inKharkiv during the early morning and started clashing withUkrainian forces. Clashes also took place near a military hospital of the city as Russian paratroopers descended on it.Kharkiv Oblast's Police Chief Volodymyr Tymoshko later stated that the situation was under control.[35]
TheVerkhovna Rada meanwhile stated that Russian shelling onIzium killed eight people.[36] Russian forces entered the town ofBalakliia during the day.[37]
On 4 March,Ukrainian forces launched a counterattack inKharkiv Oblast, reportedly pushing theRussian forces towards theSumy Oblast, and reaching part of the Russia-Ukraine border.[38] By 7 March, Ukraine claimed to have retakenChuhuiv nearKharkiv in a counter-attack overnight.[39] During the day, Ukraine also claimed to have killed Russian Maj. Gen.Vitaly Gerasimov, while also killing and wounding other senior Russian Army officers during a battle nearKharkiv.[40]
On the morning of 25 February, Russian forces, along with allied separatists, advanced from territory controlled by theDonetsk People's Republic (DPR) towardsMariupol, encountering Ukrainian forces inPavlopil.[42] The Ukrainians were victorious, destroying at least 20 Russian tanks.[43] In the evening, the Russian Navy began an amphibious assault 70 kilometers (43 miles) from Mariupol, along the coast of theSea of Azov.[44][45] Russian forces bombarded Mariupol throughout 26 February; the city's mayorVadym Boychenko claimed that schools and apartment buildings had been struck.[46]
Ukrainian civilians being evacuated from Volnovakha in the Donetsk region
On the morning of 27 February, it was reported that a Russian tank column was quickly advancing towards Mariupol from DPR-held territory, but the attack was prevented by Ukrainian forces. Six Russian soldiers were captured.[47]
The same day, Donetsk Oblast governorPavlo Kyrylenko said thatVolnovakha was undergoing a humanitarian crisis, as Russian shelling had practically destroyed the entire city.[48]
On 1 March, Ukrainian forces began a counteroffensive towardHorlivka, which had been controlled by the DPR since 2014.[49][50]
On 2 March, separatist-held Donetsk had been under shelling for several days. Some neighborhoods had no electricity supply and there were burnt cars on the streets.[51]
Ukrainian officialOleksiy Arestovych stated that the Ukrainian forces went on the offensive for the first time during the war, advancing towardsHorlivka.[52][53][54]Ihor Zhdanov later claimed that "there were reports" that a part of the city had been captured by Ukrainian forces.[55] According to Ukrainian reports, Ukraine's95th Air Assault Brigade had begun attacking the city the previous day.[56]
Ukrainian authorities stated on 3 March that 34 civilians had been killed in Russian shelling in Mariupol in the previous 24 hours.[57]
On 5 March, a ceasefire was declared in Volnovakha to allow civilians to evacuate, but was later scuttled with Ukrainian officials blaming Russian shelling continuing during the evacuation process. They added that about 400 civilians were still able to leave the city. Russian PresidentVladimir Putin however blamed Ukrainian forces for the breakdown of the ceasefire agreement.[58][failed verification]
On 6 March, both sides blamed each other for the failure of a second attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol.[59]
On 9 March, a building acting as a maternity ward and children's hospital in Mariupol wasbombed by theRussian Air Force at around 17:00, killing five civilians and injuring 17.[60]
On 11 March, the Russian Defence Ministry stated that the forces of the DPR had captured Volnovakha.[61] It also claimed that they had advanced 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) and had further tightened the siege of Mariupol. Videos later posted on social media showed Russian forces in many neighborhoods of Volnovakha.[62]
On 12 March, theAssociated Press independently confirmed that Volnovakha had been captured by pro-Russian separatists and much of it had been destroyed in the fighting.[63]Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of Donetsk Oblast, stated that while the settlements ofNikolske,Manhush and Urzuf had been occupied by Russian troops, they had yet to capture any key cities, with the exception of Volnovakha.[64]
In the northern Donetsk Oblast, theSviatohirsk Lavra monastery was bombed around 22:00 on 12 March, wounding 30 people and damaging the monastery.[65][66]
The Russian Defence Ministry stated on 13 March that Russian forces had captured the settlements ofNikolske,Blahodatne,Volodymyrivka andPavlivka in Donetsk Oblast, in an attempt to reachVelyka Novosilka.[67][68] The Ukrainian military stated that Russian forces had captured the settlements ofStaromlynivka,Yevhenivka, Pavlivka and Yehorivka during the day.[69]
On 14 March, Donetsk was hit by a missile attack.[70][71]Denis Pushilin, the head of the Donetsk People's Republic, stated that they had shot down a UkrainianTochka-U missile fired on the city of Donetsk, but parts of the missile fell into the city centre, killing multiple civilians. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that 23 civilians were killed and 28 more wounded. However, the Ukrainian military denied conducting the attack and stated that it was "unmistakably a Russian rocket or another munition",[72] which was supported by an assessment of theConflict Intelligence Team, an investigative journalism group.[73]
On 20 March, Russian officials confirmed thatAndrey Paliy, a deputy commander of theBlack Sea Fleet, had been killed in Mariupol.[75]
Luhansk Oblast
Russian andLPR units convene inNovoaidar, March 2022Ukrainian soldiers with a captured RussianBRDM, March 2022Burning buildings inSievierodonetsk after Russian shelling, 13 March
On 24 February, the Ukrainian military said that Russian forces were attempting to cross theSiverskyi Donets River and penetrate the Ukrainian defensive line amid heavy clashes forShchastia andStanytsia Luhanska.[76] By 27 February, Luhansk Oblast governorSerhiy Haidai acknowledged that February that both cities had come under Russian occupation, and had been practically destroyed by Russian shelling.[48]
On 25 February, the Ukrainian military claimed that its artillery had inflicted damage on a Russiancolumn preparing to cross theAidar River nearStarobilsk, forcing the Russians to withdraw.[77]
On 2 March, forces of the Luhansk People's Republic and Russian troops capturedNovoaidar, taking over a base of Ukraine's79th Brigade.[78] Further north, a Russian convoy of 60 vehicles enteredStarobilsk through the fields near the villages of Shulhynka, Omelkove, and Khvorostianivka. Inside the city, the Russians were confronted by protesting locals waving Ukrainian flags and singing theUkrainian national anthem. The column continued in the direction ofSvatove.[79]
The next day, civilians carrying Ukrainian flags protested against Russian troops in Svatove.[80] After talks with locals, the soldiers withdrew from the town.[80][81] Also on 3 March, LPR officials announced that in addition to Novoaidar and Starobilsk, their forces had taken control ofStepnyi Yar [uk],Havrylivka [uk],Yepifanivka [uk] andKrasnorichenske, all located on the outskirts ofSievierodonetsk.[82]
Haidai stated on 6 March that fighting was taking place on the outskirts ofLysychansk, Sievierodonetsk andRubizhne, as Ukrainian units had fallen back to a new front line in order to avoid encirclement or a Russian breakthrough. He added that Ukrainian forces had lost control ofSvatove,Starobilsk andNovopskov, though Russian forces were not deployed in the cities in large numbers. He also said thatPopasna andHirske were being continuously shelled.[83]
On 8 March, Ukrainian officials stated that ten civilians had been killed and eight wounded in shelling onSeverodonetsk during the day.[60] Haidai, meanwhile, stated that Russian forces had occupied 70 percent of Luhansk Oblast.[84]
On 12 March, Ukrainian forces confirmed the death of Colonel Valery Hudz, the commander of the Ukrainian24th Mechanized Brigade, while fighting on the Luhansk frontline.[85] Ukrainian officials accused Russia of usingwhite phosphorus munitions on the town ofPopasna, located in the Luhansk Oblast, during the night of 12–13 March.[65]
On 15 March, Haidai stated that four civilians were killed due to Russian shelling of a hospital, a care facility for children with visual impairments, and three schools inRubizhne.[86]
On 22 March, the head of the LPR, Leonid Pasechnik, claimed that "almost 80% of the territory" of the Luhansk region was under separatist control, withPopasna,Lysychansk,Rubizhne,Severodonetsk andKreminna remaining Ukrainian-held. He noted that the situation in the battlefield was "stably tense" and that units of thePeople's Militia of the LPR were striving to capture Popasna and Rubizhne.[87]
On 25 March, the Russian defence ministry stated that it was prepared to begin a second phase of military operations with the aim of occupying major Ukrainian cities in eastern Ukraine. According to the ministry, Russian-backed separatists were in control of 93% of Luhansk Oblast and 54% of Donetsk Oblast.[88]
After Russia abandoned itsoffensive to capture Kyiv, it shifted its attention to eastern and southern Ukraine. The Russian military began redeploying units from northern Ukraine to the east, but many of these troops appeared to be nearly combat-ineffective due to heavy losses. However, Russia still amassed tens of thousands of troops, declaring its aim to fully capture the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.[89][90] It managed tosecure Izium on 1 April, although heavy fighting continued around the settlement over the next few days.[91] According to local authorities 80% ofIzium's residential buildings were destroyed in the battle.[92] On 3 April, according to the Ukrainian government, two Russian soldiers died and 28 others were hospitalized after Ukrainian civilians handed out poisoned cakes to soldiers of the Russian3rd Motor Rifle Division in Izium.[93][94]
Russia and the pro-Russian separatists continued to besiege Mariupol, where they made little progress. However, Russian troops managed to divide the Ukrainian holdouts in Mariupol into two or three pockets on 10 April.[95] At the same time, Russia made concentrated efforts to conquer the strategically important cities ofSievierodonetsk,Popasna, andRubizhne. It launched repeated attacks on these locations from 10 April.[89][95][90] Russia made little progress in these attacks,[90] and Ukraine claimed that it had inflicted a heavy defeat on the Russian60th Independent Motorized Infantry Brigade [ru;uk] on 11 April.[89] In nearby Kreminna, Ukraine's128th Brigade claimed to have pushed Russian forces 6-10 kilometers away from the city.[96]
To support the operations aimed at Sievierodonetsk, Popasna, and Rubizhne, Russia made a push south of Izium towardBarvinkove andSloviansk. Ukraine responded by shifting more units to hold off the Russians at Izium. At the same time, Russia attacked around Kharkiv to pin down local Ukrainian forces.[95][89][90] Russia had made only limited gains at Izium by 12 April, but more Russian forces continued to arrive, to reinforce the offensive.[90]
On 13 April, it was reported that Russia was attempting to assemble a force large enough to outnumber the Ukrainian soldiers in eastern Ukraine by five times, in an attempt to finally win a decisive victory in the Donbas.[97] On 16 April, Russia warned the remaining defenders of Mariupol to surrender; the Ukrainians ignored the demand.[98][99] On 18 April, Ukraine launched counter-attacks, and retook several small towns and villages near Kharkiv and Izium.[100]
Also on 18 April, Zelenskyy announced that the "battle for Donbas" had begun, as Russian forces launched an offensive across a 300-mile front. According to Russian officials, 1,260 military targets were hit by rockets and artillery.[101][102][103][104] The initial Russian bombardment focused on Rubizhne, Popasna, and Marinka.[100]
On the same day, it was reported that Russian and LNR troops had entered the city ofKreminna, capturing it after a few hours of clashes with the Ukrainian Army.[105][106] LNR commander Mikhail Kishchik was killed in this battle.[107] Over the next days, Russia gained little territory despite attacks all across the frontline. Facing heavy Ukrainian resistance, the Russian and separatist forces were able to advance into parts of Rubizhne, Popasna, and Sievierodonetsk. Some reports also suggested that fighting in Kreminna was still ongoing.[9][108][109]On 21 April, the Russians claimed to have killed over 4,000 Ukrainian troops in Mariupol, and to have captured a further 1,478.[110] By 23 April, Ukrainian counter-attacks had reportedly further stalled the Russian advance.[111]
In the following days, Russia continued its attempts to break through the Ukrainian defenses, possibly in an aim to encircle the Izium-Donetsk City salient. Fighting was concentrated at Sievierodonetsk, Rubizhne, Popasna, Marinka, Kharkiv, and Izium.[112][113][114][115] Russia, the LPR, and the DPR made limited gains, capturing a number of villages and the towns of Popivka, Pischane, Zhytlivka, and Kreminna.[113][114] However, their overall advance was slow, and stalled in most areas of the frontline. Ukraine also mounted a growing number of counter-attacks at Izium and Kharkiv, gradually expelling Russian forces from a number of settlements.[116][115][117]
First Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive and the recapture of Mariupol and Sievierodonetsk (May–September 2022)
On 30 April, Ukraine launched a large-scale counter-offensive at Kharkiv, retaking the city's suburbs and several more towns over the following days.[117][118][119][120][121]
By 4 May, Russian forces had been pushed back to such a distance that most of their artillery could no longer strike Kharkiv.[118] Meanwhile, Russian and DPR/LPR separatist forces continued to attempt to break through Ukrainian defenses at Izium and the Donetsk-Luhansk frontline.[121][119][122][120] On 6 May, theISW described a Ukrainian counteroffensive "along a broad arc" nearKharkiv, reporting that Ukraine had recaptured "several villages," includingTsyrkuny,Peremoha and part ofCherkaski Tyshky.[123] TheISW also reported that Ukraine "may successfully pushRussian forces out of artillery range inKharkiv in the coming days."[123]
On 7 May, Russian forces destroyed several bridges in an attempt to slow down the Ukrainian counter-offensive at Kharkiv. On the same day, Russia and separatist troops also captured Popasna.[124] Following the capture of Popasna, Russia began attempting to encircle Sievierodonetsk.[125][126]
On 7 May, it was reported thatUkrainian forces had successfully pushed back Russian forces stationed aroundKharkiv, with the city getting further out of range forRussian forces.[127] The same day,Ukrainian forces also reported retaking five villages northeast ofKharkiv.[128] Quoting a Ukrainian official,The New York Times said that the battle for Kharkiv was not over, but that at the moment, Ukraine was dominating, and thatRussian troops were destroying bridges as they were retreating.[129] On 11 May,Ukrainian forces claimed to have recaptured four settlements. The counteroffensive had the potential to bringUkrainian forces within several kilometers of the Russian border.[130]
On 10 May, Ukraine made further gains on the Kharkiv front, forcing Russia to redeploy forces from the Izium front to the north.[131]
In addition, Ukrainian artillery destroyed an entire Russianbattalion tactical group attempting a river crossing in thebattle of the Siverskyi Donets.[132] Meanwhile, Russia and the DPR attempted to cement their occupation in eastern Ukraine through political and economic means, likely in an attempt to integrate these areas into the existing separatist republics or establish new ones.[133] On the other side, Ukrainian civilians began organizing resistance movements.[113] As Ukrainian forces retook territory around Kharkiv, local civilian collaborators fled to Russia.[118]
On 12 May, Russian forces seized Rubizhne and the nearby town ofVoevodivka.[134][135] Heavy fighting subsequently took place at the village ofDovhenke south of Izium.[136] On 13 May, it was reported that Russia had decided to withdraw its forces fromKharkiv Oblast.[137] On 14 May, theISW reported that "Ukraine thus appears to have won thebattle of Kharkiv."[138] The Mayor ofKharkiv said to the BBC: "There was no shelling in the city for the last five days. There was only one attempt from Russians to hit the city with a missile rocket nearKharkiv airport, but the missile was eliminated byUkrainian Air Defence."[139]
Russia continued its attempts to encircle Sievierodonetsk and began to focus on cutting the highway at Bakhmut.[136][140] By 14 May, the Ukrainians claimed to have killed over 6,000 Russian soldiers in Mariupol. They also claimed to have destroyed 78 tanks and 100 other armored vehicles.[141] On 15 May, Ukrainian forces reached the border near Kharkiv, while continuing to push back Russian and LPR units.[140] On the following day, the siege of Mariupol was formally concluded as the Ukrainian military personnel in the city's Azovstal agreed to gradually evacuate and surrender to the Russian forces.[140][142] Four days later, the Russians announced that they had taken an additional 2,439 Ukrainians prisoners in Mariupol, bringing the total number captured during the siege to 3,917.[143] In addition, it was reported that unrest – including public protests – was growing among pro-Russian collaborators and separatists in eastern Ukraine, as they accused Russian forces of corruption, incompetence, and forced mobilizations.[140]
Over the following days, Russia made little to no progress at the Izium frontline, but captured some territory around Popasna and Sievierodonetsk, increasingly threatening Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk with encirclement.[144] Russia also intensified air and artillery strikes targeting Ukrainian positions around Izium, possibly to prepare for renewed attacks.[145][146] At the northern front,[where?] Russia and separatist forces retook a few villages and fortified their positions to stall the Ukrainian counter-offensive.[146][145]
After the Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russian forces were driven back to defensive positions, some of which were within miles of the Russia-Ukraine international border. Despite this, they continued to shell variousKharkiv suburbs, as well as the city proper, killing numerous civilians and wounding dozens more.Skirmishes along theRussia–Ukraine border in the area of northeastern Ukraine continued between Russian and Ukrainian forces beyond 14 May.[147][148][149]
On 22 May, theRussian forces made minimal progress in eastern Ukraine. New reports confirmed thatRussian troops had occupiedRubizhne in the northernKharkiv Oblast on 19 May. In northern Kharkiv, Russian forces brought in reinforcements to maintain their positions on the west bank of theSeversky Donets River, instead of retreating across the river to use it as a defensive position, to prevent further Ukrainian advances north or east that could jeopardize Russian communication lines along theIzium axis.[153] On 24 May,Russian forces attempted to retakeTernova in northernKharkiv Oblast.[154]
On 23 May, Russian forcestook control ofLyman and attacked Avdiivka.[145][155] On 24 May, Russian forces attacked from Popasna with the aim of cutting off Bakhmut, Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk, gaining some ground. Ukrainian forces made a controlled withdrawal southwest of Popasna to strengthen their defensive position at Bakhmut. Russia subsequently capturedSvitlodarsk.[155][156]
After afierce month-long battle that ruined much of the city, Russian and LPR forces capturedSievierodonetsk along theSiverskyi Donets river on 25 June.[159] On the same day, thebattle of Lysychansk began, which also saw a Russian victory on 2 July. The following day Russian and LPR forces declared full control of the entire Luhansk region.[160] On 4 July,The Guardian reported that after the capture of the Luhansk oblast, that Russian invasion troops would continue their invasion into the adjacent Donetsk oblast to attack the cities ofSloviansk andBakhmut. The Russian military declared an "operational pause" to rest and replenish front line forces in Luhansk.[161] On 9 July, a Russianrocket attack on two residential buildings inChasiv Yar killed at least 48 people.[162]
On 13 August, the Russian defence ministry said its forces had captured the village ofUdy, northwest ofKharkiv.[166]
The Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of Ukraine's General Staff, Oleksiy Hromov, alleged on 1 September that Russian president Vladimir Putin had ordered Russian forces to capture the entirety of Donetsk Oblast by 15 September via a renewed offensive. Hromov further alleged that Russia was going to rotate its recently established3rd Army Corps to the Donetsk front. A senior U.S. defense official dismissed the purported deployment of the "older, unfit, and ill-trained" 3rd Army Corps personnel as being unable to increase Russia's overall combat power in Ukraine.[167]
Second Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive (September–October 2022)
President Zelenskyy with Ukrainian soldiers near the frontline in Kharkiv Oblast, September 2022Destroyed Russian equipment from thebattle of Lyman
On 6 September 2022, Ukrainian forces began a surprise counter-offensive on the Kharkiv front that resulted in Russian forces retreating over 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq mi) east.[168] On 4 September, Zelenskyy announced the liberation of a village in Donetsk Oblast. Ukrainian authorities released a video of their forces enteringOzerne.[169] On 8 September, Ukrainian forces recaptured more than 20 settlements inKharkiv Oblast, including the towns ofBalakliia andShevchenkove and 'penetrated Russian defense positions up to 50 km' according to the General Staff of theArmed Forces of Ukraine. On the same day, a representative of the Russian occupation authorities announced that the 'defense ofKupiansk had begun' and that additional Russian forces were on their way to support the effort, suggesting that Ukrainian elements were close to the town.[170][171][172]
On 9 September, Ukrainian forces reached the outskirts of Kupiansk and destroyed the main bridge over the Oskil river in the city center, limiting the ability of the Russian Army to retreat or to bring in reinforcements.[173][174] In the morning of 10 September, Ukrainian soldiers posted pictures of the Ukrainian flag being raised in front of the town hall.[175] Also on 10 September, Izium, a central command post of the Russians in the region, fell to Ukrainian forces, "with thousands of Russian soldiers abandoning ammunition stockpiles and equipment as they fled."[175] On 11 September, it was reported that the Ukrainians had retakenVelykyi Burluk in Kharkiv Oblast, just 15 miles (24 km) from the border with Russia.[176] Russia responded with missile strikes on civilian areas and on non-military infrastructure facilities like power stations.[177] TheRussian Ministry of Defense then formally announcedRussian forces' withdrawal from the majority ofKharkiv Oblast on 11 September,[178] withRussia only controlling parts of the region on the east bank of theOskil River.[179]
By October 2022, Ukrainian forces had retaken several villages and towns in northern Luhansk and northern Donetsk, includingYatskivka,Novoliubivka [uk],Nevske [uk],Hrekivka,Novoiehorivka [uk],Nadiya,Andriivka, andStelmakhivka, among others.[180][181][182] On 1 October, Ukrainian forces enteredLyman aftera short siege.[183] Russian forces had fallen back to the P-66 highway near the Kharkiv-Luhansk Oblast border, anchored by the settlements of Svatove and Kreminna, the first city to be taken during the battle of Donbas. On 2–3 October, Ukrainian forces beganattacking towards Kreminna and Svatove in an attempt to break the Russian front line along the P-66 in northern Luhansk.[citation needed]
First Russian winter campaign (November 2022–May 2023)
Russian forces launched a renewed offensive in southern and northern Donetsk Oblast in early November,[184] with Russian troops intensifying their attempts to break through Ukrainian defensive lines in Bakhmut,Soledar, Pavlivka, andVuhledar.[185] On 11 November, DPR forces were reported to have entered Pavlivka.[186] Russian forces, includingWagner Group PMC fighters, overran defensive lines south of Bakhmut in late November, claiming to have captured the settlements ofKurdiumivka,Ozarianivka,Zelenopillia, andAndriivka by 30 November, while clashes inOpytne continued.[187][188]
By December 2022, the Donbas was the site of the fiercest fighting in Ukraine. Russian and Ukrainian forces funneled reinforcements from other fronts to theBakhmut–Soledar axis while Ukraine's eastern counteroffensive largely stalled along the Lyman–Kreminna–Svatove axis.[189] Russia spent much of the month consolidating defense lines along theKreminna–Svatove front, seeking to prevent a Ukrainian breakthrough to the P-66 highway; the Ukrainians, including the92nd Mechanized Brigade, attempted intermittent local counterattacks across the line of contact while repelling many local Russian assaults.[190] The Kreminna–Svatove line became a defensive flashpoint for Russia, which reportedly reinforced the area with two battalions ofT-90 tanks and a fewBMPTarmored fighting vehicles, and reportedly mobilized elements of the144th Guards Motor Rifle Division and8th Combined Arms Army.[190][191] Both the Russians and Ukrainians claimed to be conducting offensive operations along this front line and repelling local enemy assaults; on 10 December, the Russian defense ministry said it was making new advances east of Lyman[192] while theInstitute for the Study of War assessed that Ukraine "likely" controlled the contested front line settlement ofChervonopopivka as of 22 December.[193]
Heavy clashes along the Bakhmut–Soledar axis continued by 10 December, typified by gruelingtrench warfare,drone warfare, artillery duels, and minor ground assaults amid freezing temperatures. Zelenskyy accused Russia of having "destroyed" Bakhmut, saying there was "no residential space that hasn't been damaged by shelling for a long time." On 10 December, the Ukrainian General Staff said more than 20 settlements were bombarded in fighting in the Bakhmut area alone.[192][197] Ukrainian paratroopers of the71st Separate Huntsman Brigade reported repelling a Russian "sabotage and reconnaissance group" with mortar fire near Bakhmut, "eliminating" at least two attackers.[198] On 16 December, Wagner PMC forces reportedly finished clearing Yakovlivka, further threatening Soledar's northeastern flank.[199]
In southern and western Donetsk Oblast, thebattle of Marinka continued,[193] with DPR presidentDenis Pushilin claiming on 15 December that 80 percent of the city had been captured amid ongoing heavy urban combat.[200] Russia also continued demolition and reconstruction projects in Mariupol, reportedly seeking to turn the ruined city into agarrison city. Observers accused Russia of using the rebuilding efforts to cover up and destroy evidence of war crimes in Mariupol, particularly the March 2022Mariupol theatre airstrike.[201][202]
Russian regular, separatist, and Wagner PMC forces continued attempts to break defense lines on Bakhmut's southern and eastern flanks via small probing attacks; Wagner fighters spearheaded ground assaults into the city and itssatellite suburbs, each of which Ukraine had turned into a stronghold. Media, government officials, and eyewitnesses described the fighting in Bakhmut as a "meat grinder" as both Ukrainian and Russian troops reportedly suffered heavy casualties daily with negligible changes on the front line.[194][203]
TheISW assessed that the pace of Russia's Donbas advances in November and December was roughly equivalent to the pace in October. According to the ISW, Russian forces gained a total of 192 sq km in the Bakhmut sector between 1 October and 20 December.[204] Footage posted online by a Russian journalist confirmed Russian forces had captured Andriivka, 10 km south of Bakhmut, by 22 December. The journalist claimed that Wagner fighters were fighting near Klishchiivka, where Ukraine reportedly had established strong defensive positions. Meanwhile, Ukraine continued to hold the northern half of Opytne and the western half of Marinka.[193] On 26 December, Zelenskyy referred to Ukraine's situation in the Donbas as "difficult," saying the Russians were "using all the resources available to them ... to squeeze out at least some advance."[205] Ukraine's Eastern Military Command reported that the Bakhmut area was shelled 225 times on 26 December alone.[206]
Russian forces intensified their encirclement attempts of Bakhmut in the winter, as Wagnerbroke through Ukrainian defense lines in the salt-mining town ofSoledar on 27 December, capturingBakhmutske.[207] Soledar itself was taken by 16 January 2023, degrading Bakhmut's northeastern defensive flanks.[208][209] The recapture of Soledar allowed Russian forces, spearheaded by Wagner fighters, to further flank Bakhmut from the northeastern direction and assert control over a portion of the T0513 highway towards Siversk.[210] Defences along Bakhmut's northern flank collapsed as the Ukrainians withdrew fromKrasna Hora on 11 February.[211] Wagner advanced 2-3 kilometers to the west of Blahodatne, capturing the area near the mainM-03 highway leading into Bakhmut. Both theUK Defence Ministry and Ukraine's governor of Donetsk Pavlo Kyrylenko said the Russians were attempting apincer movement of Bakhmut, enveloping the city from multiple directions and establishing fire control over most Ukrainian supply routes into it.[212][213][214]
In mid-January, a battle took place inVodiane. On 15 January, around 9-10 in the morning, elements of the DPR's1st Slovyanska Separate Mechanized Brigade attacked eastern Vodiane from a frozen-over flooded area west of Opytne. These elements were not supported by artillery. At 12pm, a convoy of eight to nine RussianBMP-2s heading towards Ukrainian-controlled west Vodiane was hit by Ukrainian fire, injuring 70% of the soldiers involved, according to the Russian commander of the attack. TwoT-72Bs then approached the town, but were destroyed. A third and final attack took place in the afternoon, when some BMPs attempted to drive close to the bridge between Vodiane and Opytne (which had been destroyed during the fighting), but were also destroyed by artillery. There were also attacks onSieverne, west of Avdiivka.[215] On 10 February 2023, Russian fighters in Vodiane claimed that there is "not a single living creature in the town" from the destruction.[216] A group of Russian soldiers from the "Storm" detachment fromKaliningrad released a video in March 2023, claiming they were suffering large losses while fighting in Vodiane.[217]
By 22 February, Russian units had crossed the M-03 and began assaultingYahidne and Berkhivka, northwest of Bakhmut, with the Ukrainians claiming to have repelled the assaults amid heavy fighting.[218] Wagner claimed to have captured both villages by 26 February, however Ukraine's general staff said Russian assaults remained "unsuccessful" amid heavy shelling.[219][220] Geolocated footage on 4 March showed Russian troops were advancing along both banks of the Berkhivka reservoir located about 4 kilometers northwest of Bakhmut, on the approaches toKhromove andDubovo-Vasylivka villages, respectively.[221][222] On 7 March, Ukraine ceded eastern Bakhmut to Russian forces, retreating west of theBakhmutka river.[223][224][225] Wagner claimed to have advanced along the M-03 and expanded the buffer zone north and west of Bakhmut, capturing the villages of Dubovo-Vasylivka and Zaliznianske by 16 March,[226][227] however Ukrainian defenders stalled the advance along this axis by 19 March, repelling assaults onOrikhovo-Vasylivka,Bohdanivka, and Khromove villages.[228][229][230][231]
In early March 2023, Zelenskyy referred to the ongoing fighting in the Donbas as "painful and difficult".[232]Clashes around Avdiivka escalated in February and March, as the Ukrainians claimed Russian forces had begun an attempted encirclement effort of the city.[233] Russian forces increased the amount of airstrikes in the area as ground units advanced towards Avdiivka's outskirts from the north and northeast, capturingKrasnohorivka (9 km north of Avdiivka) and Vesele (7 km north of Avdiivka) by 21 March.[234][235] Further to the south, the grindingbattle for Marinka had reduced the city to "post-apocalyptic" ruins as Russian ground units made minimal gains amid fierce urban combat with Ukrainian defenders.[236] DPR leaderDenis Pushilin claimed Ukraine was continuously transferring reserves to Marinka.[237][238]
Capture of Bakhmut and Ukrainian flanking counterattacks (April–May 2023)
View of western Bakhmut duringthe battle, 5 April 2023
Fighting inside Bakhmut continued into April and May 2023. Russian forces controlled 95 percent of the city by 18 May, having corralled Ukrainian defenders into a southwestern neighborhood of multi-story residential buildings the Russians referred to as the "nest", where Ukraine had purportedlyconcentrated a large number of defending units.[239][240] As Wagner fighters made gradual gains inside Bakhmut, Ukraine launched counterattacks on the southern and northwestern flanks of the city beginning around 10 May, resulting in Russian units abandoning positions near the Berkhivka reservoir and south ofIvanivske, on the approach to Klishchiivka.[241] Ukraine's3rd Assault Brigade reportedly partook in the recapture of 2 km of territory, in what Ukrainian commanderOleksandr Syrskyi called "the first successful offensive operation in the city's defense".[240][242][243][244]
Despite the Ukrainian counterattacks threatening their flanks, Wagner continued to advance inside the city and claimed to have fully captured it on 20 May, adding that they planned to withdraw from the front line and be replaced by regular Russian troops after finishing clearing operations.[245][246] Ukraine, however, denied that Bakhmut had fallen and claimed their forces were in the process of partially "encircling" the city via their multiple "localized" gains on the environs.[247][248][249] By 21 May, Wagner forces had consolidated control over Bakhmut proper and halted their advance, with Ukrainian forces still operating in neighboring localities west and south of the city. The ISW assessed that Ukrainian forces had withdrawn from the city itself but were still counterattacking on the outskirts.[250][251][241]
In early June 2023, Ukraine launched alarge counteroffensive across the frontlines, including on the flanks of Bakhmut. These attacks focused around areas such asAndriivka,[253]Klishchiivka,[254] andBerkhivka,[255] where Ukrainian forces made "marginal" gains. Ukraine's progress was notably hindered by dense Russian minefields, with the Russians reportedly using rocket systems to deploy mines in areas that Ukrainian troops had previously recaptured and cleared.[256] By July 2023, Russian forces were largely maintaining a defensive posture along the vast majority of the frontline, with theLuhansk front being one of the few places where they reportedly remained on the offensive.[257][258]
Meanwhile,internal tensions between the Russian defence ministry and the Wagner Group boiled over when the latter launched aone-day rebellion against the Russian government on 23 June, which was concluded with mediation byBelarus. Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin later announced on 19 July that the PMC would no longer fight in Ukraine.[259] Russia reportedly increased its oversight over Wagner forces after Prigozhin and two other Wagner commandersdied in a plane crash on 23 August. Russian war blogRybar reported Wagner fighters would return to the Bakhmut axis to help recapture lost positions.[260] On 27 September, the Ukrainian military stated that "a maximum of several hundred" Wagner fighters had returned to Ukraine but dismissed their impact on the battlefield as negligible, describing them as a "remnant" force no longer fighting as a single unit—being instead dispersed throughout regular Russian units.[261] Later, on 27 November, aUkrainian Ground Forces spokesman said that "former Wagner Group members" were spotted fighting on the Lyman-Kupiansk front alongsideStorm-Z units.[262]
By October 2023, Ukraine was waging an "active defense" on the Bakhmut axis after recapturing Andriivka and Klishchiivka, holding the line while conducting offensive operations to improve tactical positions when possible. However, Ukrainian assaults began slowly culminating on this front by the end of the month. The ISW reported on 27 October that Russian forces were conducting successful counterattacks on Bakhmut's flanks, recapturing positions south of the Berkhivka reservoir that they lost months prior, along with making marginal gains west ofKurdyumivka, located 13 km southwest of Bakhmut. In turn, Ukrainian troops reportedly pushed the Russians out of several positions east of the Bakhmut-Horlivka railway line in the area ofAndriivka.[20][263]
In early October 2023, as Ukraine's larger counteroffensive nominally continued on other fronts, Russian forces began a localized offensive againstAvdiivka, attempting toencircle the fortified city.[264]
On 30 October 2023, Ukrainian generalOleksandr Syrskyi stated Russian forces were transferring reserves and "significantly" strengthening its grouping on the Bakhmut front in preparation of a renewed offensive to recapture lost positions along Bakhmut's flanks. Ukrainian military spokesperson Volodymyr Fityo, citing intelligence reports, stated the Russians were preparing since early October 2023 and that Ukrainian troops had been strengthening "defensive positions, engineering fortifications and pulling up reserves" in response.[265] Russian sources, including the Russian defence ministry, said that elements of the331st Guards Airborne Regiment,98th and106th Guards Airborne Division,200th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade,"Viking" spetsnaz detachment, and the"Alexander Nevsky" Assault Brigade, were among the personnel operating on the Bakhmut front around this time.[266][267][268][269][270]
Second Russian winter campaign (November 2023–April 2024)
In early November, positional battles south of Bakhmut continued along the Klishchiivka-Andriivka-Kurdiumivka railway line, while Russian sources claimed increased offensive operations on the Berkhivka Reservoir axis further northwest of Bakhmut.[271] On 6 November, Ukrainian and Russian sources reported that Russian troops had made a "marginal" advance south of the Berkhivka Reservoir, though it was unclear at the time if they recaptured the entire reservoir or just the southern shore.[272] On 10 November, Russian sources reported Russian troops had regained lost positions in forestry north of Klishchiivka and a tree line north of Andriivka, pushing Ukrainian forces away from the railway line and the T0513 highway, however Ukrainian mines, drones, and artillery were complicating the advance. In turn, the Ukrainian General Staff reported repelling assaults nearBohdanivka,Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, and Andriivka.[267]
In mid-November, General Syrskyi confirmed Russian forces had intensified their assaults north and south of Bakhmut in an attempt to regain the initiative and retake lost positions.[269][273][274]
On 13–14 November, Russian troops—including elements of the98th Guards Airborne Division's "Storm" Division—advanced west ofYahidne, advancing along a tree line southwest ofOrikhovo-Vasylivka towards Bohdanivka and securing new positions near the Berkhivka Reservoir in the process. Russian troops reportedly crossed the railway north of Klishchiivka and were consolidating positions, though Ukraine's93rd Mechanized Brigade claimed artillery had pushed them back across the railway. Yuri Fedorenko, the commander of the drone specialist "Achilles" Company, confirmed the situation in the Bakhmut direction was becoming complicated, crediting Russian troops' constantly shifting tactics and heavy usage of battlefield drones. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian General Staff reported repelling numerous assaults north and south of Bakhmut in its daily reports, including towards Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Andriivka, Klishchiivka, and west ofDubovo-Vasylivka.[268][269][275] On 16 November,Maksym Zhorin, the deputy commander of the3rd Assault Brigade, accused Russian troops of deploying chemical weapons during clashes near Bakhmut.[276]
By 19 November, the Russians were continuing assaults towardsKhromove village, Bohdanivka, and against Klishchiivka, where the Ukrainians continued to hold the tactical heights west of the village.[270][277] On 29 November, Russia said its forces had taken control of Khromove.[278]
By November 2023, both the Russians and Ukrainians were reportedlyusing cluster munitions on the eastern front, with the Russian cluster munitions being air-launched and Ukrainian cluster munitions, supplied by theUnited States, being fired via artillery.[279] Around 20 November, video emerged online of Russian forces reportedly targeting Ukrainian positions nearStaromaiorske withRBK-500 cluster munitions fitted withUMPKglide bomb guidance kits. According toThe War Zone online magazine, the UMPK-fitted RBK-500s are considered highly effective against personnel and soft targets, making them a logical weapon of choice for Russia in eastern Ukraine, where fighting is dominated by trench warfare amid treelines and open terrain.[280][281] According to a Ukrainian platoon commander on the Bakhmut front, their cluster munitions were becoming increasingly ineffective as the Russians adapted; Russian troops began assaulting positions in smaller units and were digging their trenches deeper and making them harder to strike.[282]
Between 8 and 9 December, on the Bakhmut-Soledar front, Russian troops reportedly advanced 1.5 kilometers and 3.5 kilometers total in an apparent attempt to encircleVesele, located 20 kilometers northeast of Bakhmut.[283] Over a month later, on 18 January 2024, the Russian defence ministry claimed Russian troops had captured Vesele. Though located near Soledar, it marked the first settlement captured on the southern approach to theSiversk-Bilohorivka axis, a section of the eastern front that remained mostly stagnant throughout 2023. The Russian claims of advances were not independently verified at the time.[284][285][286]
Russian forcescaptured Marinka on 25 December. According toThe New York Times, the capture of the ruined city was further evidence that Russian forces had seized the initiative in the war after Ukraine's largely unsuccessfulsummer counteroffensive. The stalled Ukrainian offensive and renewed Russian assaults resulted in Russian forces ultimately seizing more territory in 2023 than they lost.[287]
Avdiivka breakthrough and Ocheretyne salient (January 2024–April 2024)
The Russian offensive on the Bakhmut front continued into January 2024, slowly pushing west towardsChasiv Yar, with ongoing clashes in and near Bohdanivka, and along theIvanivske-Andriivka-Klishchiivka axis.[282] GeneralOleksandr Syrskyi said Russian forces were using kamikaze drones andelectronic warfare alongside assault groups supported by artillery to break through Ukrainian defenses on the Bakhmut front.[288] On 20 January 2024, Ukrainian spokesperson Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun stated that Russia was focusing its assault operations in Donetsk on Avdiivka andNovomykhailivka, adding that Russian ground assaults were mostly composed of infantry, with very limited armored vehicle support. Russian forces had conducted 592 artillery strikes and launched three missile strikes on the Donetsk front in the past 24 hours, according to Shtupun.[289]
In late January–early February 2024, Russian forces broke through Ukrainian defences in Avdiivka and began flanking and encircling troops of the embattled110th Mechanized Brigade, prompting a Ukrainian retreat and resulting in Russian forces capturing the fortified city after months of deadly fighting.[290] The Russians continued to advance west of Avdiivka, reportedly capturingLastochkyne,Stepove andSieverne by 27 February.[291][292] Syrskyi said that the 3rd Assault and25th Airborne Brigades had pushed Russian troops back from Orlivka on 29 February.[293] Clashes also continued for Novomykhailivka, with Russia claiming to have capturedPobieda on 22 February, further threatening Novomykhailivka's northern flank and expanding the buffer zone south of Marinka.[294]
In February–March 2024, Russian forces continued offensive operations on the Bohdanivka-Chasiv Yar direction, namely along the O0506 highway, north and northeast of Ivanivske, and by attempting to bypass the heights north and northwest of Klishchiivka, according to Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets. On 21–23 February, Russian sources claimed that Russian troops, including elements of the 98th Guards Airborne Division, had entered the eastern outskirts of Ivanivske and advanced to Sadova Street amid fierce clashes.[295][296][297] By 3 March, Russian troops had reached central Ivanivske. Ukraine'sTavria operational-strategic group said defenders were managing to build isolatedramparts, bunkers and anti-tank ditches amid the fighting.[298] After weeks of fighting, the Russian defence ministry claimed the capture of Ivanivske on 23 March, althoughDeepState mapping claimed the town was still contested as of 2 April.[299] The Russians nevertheless continued theiradvance towards Chasiv Yar, reportedly capturing operationally important heights north of the city and Ivanivske respectively.[300][299]
Clashes continued west and south of Avdiivka in March and April 2024, particularly along theTonenke-Orlivka-Berdychi line[301] and theVodiane-Pervomaiske front. By 1 March, the Russians had a foothold on the eastern outskirts ofBerdychi, had entered centralOrlivka, and were threatening the northern and eastern flanks ofTonenke.[298] The Russians later claimed to have captured Orlivka on 19 March and Tonenke on 21 March.[302][303] On 12 March, the Russian defence ministry claimed the capture ofNevelske, a village located on the southern flank of Pervomaiske and less than 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) north ofKrasnohorivka.[304] The Russians claimed to have captured Vodiane on 5 April and reportedly captured Pervomaiske by 10 April.[305][306]
On 14–16 April, Russian forces began expanding Avdiivka's northern flank, capturing the Zaryadachas and swiftly moving on to establish a foothold inOcheretyne, creating a salient. Russian troopsexploited the breach in defenses, capturing Ocheretyne by 28 April.[307][308][309][310] Russian forces expanded the salient by quickly capturing the villages ofNovobakhmutivka by 28 April andSoloviove by 1 May along Ocheretyne's southern flank.[311][312] The Russians were concurrently advancing on a second axis northwards, east of the Ocheretyne salient, towardsNovokalynove andKeramik, which were both reportedly captured by 30 April according toDeepStateMap.Live.[313] After capturing Ocheretyne and Keramik, the Russians further advanced northwards and capturedArkhanhelske by 5 May, according to DeepState; Russia later claimed the capture of Arkhanhelske on 25 May.[314][315]
On 25 April, the ISW assessed that although Russia was seeking further "tactical gains" northwest of Avdiivka,Chasiv Yar remained the primary target of the spring campaign.[316]
Russian media reported on 5 April that their troops hadentered the eastern suburbs of Chasiv Yar.Ukraine's eastern command denied these reports but admitted the situation on the city's outskirts had become "tense".[317] On 6 April, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi–who succeededValerii Zaluzhnyi asUkraine's commander-in-chief on 8 February–stated "Today, the fiercest battles are underway in the areas of Pervomaiske and Vodiane, as well as east of Chasiv Yar, where the enemy is trying to break through our defense lines."[318]
On 13 April, Syrskyi stated the situation on the eastern front had "deteriorated significantly" in recent days and that fighting had intensified following the2024 Russian presidential election. Syrskyi partially attributed recent Russian gains in Donetsk Oblast to their superior weaponry and spoke of the need for training of more Ukrainian infantry units.[319] The same day,DeepStateMap.Live reported that Russian forces capturedBohdanivka, which is located less than 6 miles (10 km) east of Chasiv Yar; the Russian defence ministry later confirmed its capture on 21 April.[320][321][322][323]
Concurrent with the Chasiv Yar and Krasnohorivka battles, Russian troops also continued their ground advances on other axes in Donetsk into May 2024. Russian troops reportedly enteredUmanske on 9 May.[324] After a local offensive, Russian troops recapturedKlishchiivka andAndriivka by 23 May, ending months of positional warfare after Ukraine retook the ruined villages in September 2023.[325][326] Russia claimed to have captured the village ofNetailove on 27 May, which is located less than 15 kilometers northwest of Donetsk city's outskirts. Ukraine's General Staff reported "tense" clashes near Netailove, but did not confirm or deny the village's capture.[327][328]
After months of clashes following thefall of Marinka, Russian sources reported the capture ofHeorhiivka around 14 June 2024.[329] The UK defence ministry stated in its 18 June intelligence update that Russian forces had likely capturedNovooleksandrivka. The village is located just over 12 miles west of Avdiivka and lies on the approach to the T-05-04 road, one of the main supply routes for Ukrainian forces on the Donetsk front that linksPokrovsk,Kostiantynivka andBakhmut.[330][331]
On 18 June, Russia launched anew offensive towards the city ofToretsk,[332] and by 21 June had captured a village east of it,Shumy.[333][334] Fighting began in thesatellite settlements east of Toretsk ofPivdenne,Zalizne,Druzhba, andPivnichne, and by the end of June Russian forces had a foothold in all of these settlements.[335][336][337] On 2 July, Russian forces advanced 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north to reach and advance into southernNiu-York, a rural settlement south of Toretsk,[338][339] attempting to capture Toretsk from the east and south.[340]
Concurrent with the advances near Toretsk, Russian forces continued to expand the Avdiivka salient after the capture of Novooleksandrivka;Sokil by 6 July[341] andVoskhod [uk] by 11 July[342] were both captured, west of Ocheretyne.Urozhaine, east ofStaromaiorske, was taken around 13 July,[336][343] and in the direction ofSiversk, Russian forces restarted offensive maneuvers to captureSpirne andIvano-Daryivka around 17 July.[344]
On 18 July, Russian forces enteredProhres, west of Ocheretyne, and captured it on 19 July,[344] marking a new phase for the battle northwest of Avdiivka, as Russian forcesadvanced towards and hoped to seize the city ofPokrovsk, a key Ukrainian logistical hub connecting two supply highways. Russian forces also seized the villages ofLozuvatske [uk] andVovche, north and south of Prohres, in the week after the latter's capture. The situation, described as "tense and difficult", and the recent Russian advances in the Pokrovsk front, were attributed to a lack of Ukrainian supplies and manpower.[a] On 24 July, a large mechanized assault was launched by Russia towardsKurakhove, with heavy losses;[352] another was launched by Russia towardsKostiantynivka inPokrovsk Raion the same day, again taking significant losses, but nevertheless gaining a foothold in the village.[351][353]
Russia continued making significant advances in the direction of Pokrovsk in August, while expanding their control in the area in and around Toretsk.[354] The Pokrovsk front had become the most active area of the frontline as Russia's main goal in eastern Ukraine by early August.[355][356] Following Ukraine'sincursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast in early August, the rate of Russian advance near Pokrovsk increased, where Russian forces at the axis of advance had been bolstered.[357][358] By mid-August, Russia was reportedly 10 kilometers from Pokrovsk,[359] and continued to advance through settlements east of the city, including inHrodivka,[360] a town situated on the last line of defense (a line running through Hrodivka–Novohrodivka–Selydove north to south) ahead of Pokrovsk itself.[361] In late August, Russia entered Toretsk from two axes of advance, entering it from Pivnichne to the east and Zalizne to the south.[362][363] On 27 August, Russia captured the key city ofNovohrodivka, nine kilometers east of Pokrovsk,[358][364] in an engagement reportedly lasting only three days.[365] The following day, fighting reportedly began overSelydove as Russian forces entered the city from the east, capturing parts of theE50 highway southeast of Pokrovsk in the process.[366][367]
Russia concurrently captured significant portions of the highway running fromMarinka toVuhledar, and likely seized in entirety the village of Kostiantynivka intersected by the road on 27 August.[366][368] In late August, arenewed offensive was launched towards Vuhledar.[369] The villages ofPrechystivka andVodiane were captured on 3 and 8 September, west and northeast of Vuhledar,[370][371][372] while assaults near Vuhledar itself arose.[373] Russian forces advanced around the city and developed an encirclement around it, hampering the transport of Ukrainian supplies into the city and the ability of defending soldiers to move out of it.[374] The city was captured by Russia on 1 October.[375][376]
East of Kurakhove, Russian forces took full control overMaksymilianivka in mid-October,[390] as well as the settlement ofOstrivske at the Kurakhove reservoir. After the village's capture,fighting over Kurakhove began.[391] Russian forces seized the mining settlement ofKurakhivka[392] and advanced into Kurakhove proper in late October.[393]
After two months of fighting, Russian forces captured Kurakhove in late December 2024.[400][401] TheKurakhove Power Station was confirmed to have come under Russian control in early January 2025.[402] In late January, Russian forcescaptured the fortified settlement Velyka Novosilka.[403]
Northern Kharkiv Oblast
This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2024)
Damaged and destroyed buildings inVovchansk, 2 June 2024
As Russian forces continued their gradual advances in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, they launched a new offensive in Ukraine'sKharkiv Oblast on 10 May, using shelling, air strikes and dismounted infantry to breach defenses in theVovchansk andKharkiv directions.[404] On 17 May, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that the new offensive "expanded the zone of active hostilities by almost 70 kilometers."[405] By 21 May, Russia had reoccupied 13[b] villages and settlements in Kharkiv Oblast and had advanced up to the northern bank of theVovcha river in Vovchansk.[406][407]
Regarding the purpose of the operation, early speculation ranged from it being a concerted effort to capture Kharkiv to it serving as a feint to stretch Ukrainian defense lines, forcing them to shift reserves away from other fronts, particularly the Donbas front.[408] On 17 May, President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia was aiming to create a "buffer zone" in Kharkiv Oblast to prevent further attacks onBelgorod while denying that there were plans to capture Kharkiv city. Earlier that same week, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky stated the Russian advance was stopped at the first line of defense,[409] while Ukrainian intelligence chiefKyrylo Budanov reportedly warned that Russia may launch a new ground incursion intoSumy Oblast.[405]
By 23 May, Russian troops had become "completely bogged down" amid urban combat in Vovchansk, according to Syrskyi.[409] On 24 May, Ukraine's General Staff stated that Ukrainian forces had "halted" the Kharkiv offensive and were conducting counterattacks, adding that the most intense fighting in Ukraine was occurring in Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts.[409]
On 20 May, the Russian defence ministry stated it had fully recapturedBilohorivka inLuhansk Oblast, however Ukraine's General Staff stated Ukrainian forces were still "holding back" Russian forces near the settlement.[410]
On 27 May, Russia announced the capture of the village of Ivanivka in northeastern Kharkiv Oblast, located around 20 kilometers east ofKupiansk.[328] On 9 June, theInstitute for the Study of War assessed that Russian forces had "likely recently seized" the village ofIvanivka [uk] in the Kharkiv Oblast citing geolocated footage.[411]
On 20 July, Russia was confirmed to have recapturedPishchane in eastern Kharkiv Oblast.[412]
On 29 August, footage showed that Russia had made advances in central Synkivka, with some sources saying the village had been captured.[413] On 30 August, Russia seized the village ofStelmakhivka.[414]
By 6 September, Russian forces had completely seized Synkivka.[415] Further advances south in the ensuing week were made into northernPetropavlivka.[416]
According to Ukrainian sources, more than 500 wounded Russian soldiers, most of them recently mobilized, were hospitalized in the occupied city ofHorlivka between 10 and 16 November 2022.[477]
On 1 October 2023, a Ukrainian sniper team of 20 men called the "Ghosts of Bakhmut", claimed that they had killed 558 Russians during the battle so far, with their leader (callsign "Ghost") reportedly being responsible for 113 of them. They also claimed that only two of them had been wounded, with Ghost again being one of them.[478][479]
As of January 2024, Ukrainian obituaries recorded the names of 7,644 Ukrainian servicemen killed during the battle of Bakhmut.[480]
In April 2024, the UkrainianKhortytsia Joint Task Force claimed that Russia had suffered "total losses", only in the eastern direction, of 24,156 personnel, 308 tanks, 671 armored vehicles, 575 guns and mortars, 19 MLRs, 871 vehicles, plus various other equipment systems.[481]
In May 2024, the Ukrainians claimed that Russian losses in the eastern direction were 25,665 personnel, 408 tanks, 814 AFVs, 816 guns and mortars, 26 MLRs, 1,363 vehicles, 79 anti-tank weapons, 5 heavy flamethrowers, 20 AA systems, 105 pieces of "special equipment", plus numerous other equipment types.[482]
In June 2024, the Khortytsia group again reported on Russian losses in the east, claiming that they had "eliminated" 31,936 personnel, 342 enemy tanks, 592 armored fighting vehicles, 1,084 guns and mortars, 13 MLRs, 1,302 other vehicles, 80 anti-tank weapons, 44 air defense systems, a heavy flamethrower system and one aircraft, plus various other weapons systems.[483]
In July 2024, the Ukrainians claimed that Russian total losses were 31,748 soldiers (including 6,460 killed in a week between 15 and 22 July) in the eastern sector alone. Claimed equipment losses were 282 tanks, 608 AFVs, 1,121 guns and mortars, 14 MLRs, 5 heavy flamethrowers, 64 anti-tank weapons, 5 AA guns, 1,423 vehicles, 264 pieces of "special equipment" and 3 planes plus other equipment.[484][485]
In August 2024, Ukraine claimed to have inflicted 32,988 casualties on the Russians that month, with 184 tanks, 502 AFVs, 1,143 artillery systems, 34 MLRs, 51 anti-tank weapons, 1,510 vehicles, 397 special equipments, 10 AA batteries, 2 heavy flamethrowers plus other equipment.[486]
The ISW reported that Russian forces had suffered an estimated 80,110 casualties during intensified offensive efforts against Kupyansk in Kharkiv Oblast and Selydove, Kurakhove, and Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast in September and October 2024, or "roughly 20,000 more casualties than US forces suffered during almost 20 years of operations inIraq andAfghanistan". According to UK Defense Secretary John Healey, Russia lost 1,345 troops per day, or about 41,980 casualties, in October 2024, with 1,271 daily losses or about 38,130 casualties in September. Data compiled by Oryx indicates that Russian forces also lost 197 tanks, 661 armored personnel carriers (APCs), and 65 artillery systems larger than 100mm, while they had seized and recaptured 1,517 square kilometers of territory, "an area less than a third the size of Delaware".[487]
The Khortytsia group claimed that the Russians had suffered "colossal" losses of over 35,000 casualties in their operational zone during November 2024. The ISW reported that Ukrainian military observer Petro Chernyk claimed on 3 December that Russian forces are losing 1,700 troops per day and suffered 45,000 total casualties in November 2024 "as they attempted to maintain intensified offensive operations in eastern Ukraine". The UK MoD agreed with this assessment, claiming that Russian forces suffered an estimated 45,690 total casualties, suffering 1,523 casualties per day in November 2024 and just over 2,000 casualties in a single day for the first time on November 28, 2024. In addition, 307 Russian tanks, 899 combat vehicles, and 884 artillery systems were claimed to be destroyed.[488] The ISW further reported that Russian forces had suffered an estimated 125,800 casualties "during a period of intensified offensive operations" in September, October, and November 2024 in exchange for 2,356 square kilometers of gains, "approximately 53 Russian casualties per square kilometer of Ukrainian territory seized".[489][490][491]
On 3 December, LtCol Nazar Voloshyn claimed that Russian forces had lost 9,000 casualties and 40 tanks in eastern Ukraine over the previous week.[490]
Civilian casualties
According toLyudmyla Denisova, the Commissioner for Human Rights in Ukraine, four civilians were killed when a shell hit their home during the night of 9 March in the village ofSlobozhanske, located inIzium Raion.[492]
Russian shelling onDerhachi on 11 March reportedly killed three civilians.[493]
On 14 March, two civilians were reportedly killed in Russian shelling on houses inKharkiv, and a child was killed after Russian shelling hit a kindergarten inChuhuiv.[494] On 17 March, at least 21 people were reportedly killed following Russian shelling inMerefa.[495]
^"Hundreds of thousands face catastrophe in Mariupol".The Economist. 21 March 2022.Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved21 March 2022.Ukrainian forces in Mariupol are vastly outnumbered, with 3,500 soldiers facing 14,000 invaders, around a tenth of the total estimated Russian force in the country.
^"Российские военные заявили о полном контроле над Северодонецком".Radio Free Europe (in Russian). 26 June 2022.The summary of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the evening of June 25 says, among other things, that after the withdrawal of Ukrainian units, Russian troops are fixed in the areas of the settlements of Severodonetsk, Sirotino, Voronovo and Borovskoye.
^"RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, NOVEMBER 29".ISW.Russian milbloggers reiterated claims that Russian forces advanced southwest of Bakhmut, taking Andriivka, Ozarianivka, and Zelenopillia (13km south of Bakhmut)
^Evans, Angelica; Wolkov, Nicole; Harward, Christina; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Barros, George (14 June 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 14, 2024".Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved15 June 2024.Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces also advanced near Novooleksandrivka (northwest of Avdiivka), within Novopokrovske (northwest of Avdiivka, north and west of Umanske (west of Avdiivka) [...] Geolocated footage published on June 14 indicates that Russian forces recently seized Heorhiivka
^Evans, Angelica; Hird, Karolina; Mappes, Grace; Wolkov, Nicole; Barros, George (22 June 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 22, 2024".Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved13 July 2024.A Ukrainian source claimed on June 21 that Russian forces seized Shumy
^Kagan, Frederick W.; Evans, Angelica; Bailey, Riley; Harward, Christina; Mappes, Grace (6 July 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 6, 2024".Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved6 July 2024.Russian forces likely recently seized Sokil [...] Geolocated footage published on July 6 shows elements of the Russian "Black Hussars" detachment raising a flag in western Sokil, and the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed that Russian forces seized the settlement.
^Mappes, Grace; Evans, Angelica; Bailey, Riley; Harward, Christina; Kagan, Frederick W. (11 July 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 11, 2024".Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved12 July 2024.Geolocated footage published on July 11 indicates that Russian forces recently seized Voskhod
^abBailey, Riley; Evans, Angelica; Wolkov, Nicole; Harward, Christina; Barros, George; Gasparyan, Davit (19 July 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 19, 2024".Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved19 July 2024.
^Bailey, Riley; Mappes, Grace; Evans, Angelica; Harward, Christina; Barros, George; Gasparyan, Davit; Parry, Andie (25 July 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 25, 2024".Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved25 July 2024.Geolocated footage published on July 24 indicates that Russian forces advanced up to the southeastern outskirts of Kostyantynivka (southwest of Donetsk City) during a reinforced battalion-size mechanized assault.
^Hird, Karolina; Harward, Christina; Bailey, Riley; Kagan, Frederick W.; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Wolkov, Nicole (15 August 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 15, 2024".Institute for the Study of War.Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved15 August 2024.
^Evans, Angelica; Mappes, Grace; Riley, Bailey; Harward, Christina; Gasparyan, Davit; Barros, George (23 August 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 23, 2024".Institute for the Study of War.Archived from the original on 24 August 2024. Retrieved24 August 2024.
^abBarros, George; Hird, Karolina; Wolkov, Nicole; Evans, Angelica; Harward, Christina (28 August 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 28, 2024".Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved28 August 2024.Geolocated footage published on August 27 shows Russian forces, reportedly of the Republic of Tatarstan volunteer-based 1st "Timer" Battalion of the 57th Motorized Rifle Regiment (6th Motorized Rifle Division, 3rd AC), planting a flag in western Kostyantynivka (northeast of Vuhledar) at a position along Shakhtarska Street, indicating that Russian forces have likely seized the whole settlement.
^Hird, Karolina; Evans, Angelica; Wolkov, Nicole; Mappes, Grace; Zehrung, Haley (10 September 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 10, 2024".Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved10 September 2024.Geolocated footage posted on September 9 indicates that Russian forces seized Krasnohorivka [...] The Russian MoD also claimed that Russian forces seized Krasnohorivka, consistent with the available geolocated evidence.
^Wolkov, Nicole; Gasparyan, Davit; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Harward, Christina; Kagan, Frederick W.; Runkel, William; Trotter, Nate (30 October 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 30, 2024".Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved30 October 2024.
^Wolkov, Nicole; Gasparyan, Davit; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Harward, Christina; Kagan, Frederick W.; Runkel, William; Trotter, Nate (30 October 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 30, 2024".Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved30 October 2024.
^Wolkov, Nicole; Gasparyan, Davit; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Harward, Christina; Kagan, Frederick W.; Runkel, William; Trotter, Nate (30 October 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 30, 2024".Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved30 October 2024.
^Runkel, William; Gasparyan, Davit; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Kagan, Frederick W.; Hird, Karolina; Wolkov, Nicole; Trotter, Nate (4 November 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 4, 2024".Institute for the Study of War.
^Wolkov, Nicole; Harward, Christina; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Evans, Angelica; Kagan, Frederick W.; Gibson, Olivia; Davit, Gasparyan (26 December 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, December 26, 2024".Institute for the Study of War.
^Bailey, Riley; Mappes, Grace; Wolkov, Nicole; Harward, Christina; Kagan, Frederick W. (20 July 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 20, 2024".Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved20 July 2024.Geolocated footage published on July 20 shows Russian forces raising a Russian flag in central Pishchane and indicates that Russian forces have seized the settlement [...] Russian milbloggers claimed on July 19 and 20 that Russian forces completely seized Andriivka
^Barros, George; Evans, Angelica; Harward, Christina; Bailey, Riley; Zehrung, Haley; Gasparyan, Davit (13 September 2024)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 13, 2024".Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved14 September 2024.
^abcTom Bateman (13 April 2022)."Ukraine: The critical fight for 'heart of this war' Mariupol".BBC News.Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved27 April 2022.I want to separately address those heroes who are having a very hard time. Those who defend Mariupol. A marine battalion of the 36th marine brigade, Azov special operations detachment, 12th operational brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. Subdivisions of the State Border Guard Service. Volunteers of the "Right Sector". The 555th military hospital and National Police employees.
^Goncharenko, Roman (16 March 2022)."The Azov Battalion: Extremists defending Mariupol".Deutsche Welle.Archived from the original on 23 March 2022. Retrieved19 March 2022.The city of Mariupol, which has a population of 500,000, is primarily being defended by the Azov Battalion.
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Ukraine
Vladimir Putin
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1st Guards Tank Army[114][112]
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