11/7-11/8/23 Ukrainian General Update LanguageLearner

11/7-11/8/23 Update, day 622-623 of Russian invasion.


Belarus:

The situation in Belarus remains unchanged, and the UA intel services continue to state there is no threat of an attack despite RU propaganda occasionally implying so.


Kyiv/ West Ukraine:

The UA MoD has created a new Department of Health Protection, which is tasked with developing policies and medical reforms for the ZSU.

The UA MoD has additional taken steps to make individual unit purchases of commercial drones more easily attainable.

The European Commission has recommended that the EU begin admission negotiations for Moldova and Ukraine, after UA completed over 90% of the necessary steps requested in 2022. There remains political approval of the process, expected to come in december. Seperately, Georgia was offered as a potential candidate for membership, but requires reforms prior to accession negotiations.

This news was welcomed by the UA government, who stated that "The current reforms in Ukraine are a struggle against the old system"

Zelensky stated that UA will try and show positive results in the south before the end of the year.

Martial law and general mobilization have been extended for another 90 days.

The UA Parliament approved legislations to formalize military membership, and simplify the process for obtaining military/veteran benefits. Currently, less the 15% of the current UA armed forces have official status as combatants, and the benefits that come with such.

The UA government has passed a law which will allocate income tax to the ZSU, rather then local government budgets. This will account for approximately $6 billion USD over the next year, with further provisions regarding allocation this year for Drones and artillery. Local mayors have complained this will create multi-million dollar shortfalls.

The US secretary for Transportation, Pete Buttieg, arrived in Ukraine today to announce a new UA transportation adviser, who will provide technical assistance for infrastructure rebuilding projects. Additionally, there was a joint statement regarding the need for reforming UA military training programs.


Sumy/Chernihiv/Kharkiv city:

RU forces continue to shell the border regions, including the town of Semenivka, with mortars, grenades, and tanks. There are no casualties. A RU FPV drone was brought drown by an anti-drone gun.

Another air launched missile was intercepted by a Stinger MANPAD air defense crew in Sumy oblast.

A Kharkiv resident was arrested for attempting to smuggle Mig-29 Radar units and engine components to China.

Currently, only 1/12 natural water sources in Kharkiv city meet sanitary standards, with city officials recommending boiling of well and spring water, and using tap water instead.

There are high nitrate concentrations in approximately 40% of tested well water samples.

Extensive reburial efforts continue in Kharkiv city, with approximately 1200 people still in industrial graves constructed early in the war.


Kupyansk/E Kharkiv

RU forces continue unsuccessful attempts towards E Kharkiv, with 6 attacks repelled. 112 RU soldiers were killed, and 2 tanks + 4 APCs (and 42 unspecified vehicles/equipment) were destroyed. Over the last week, RU has lost approximately 1826 soldiers, 22 tanks, 54 APCs, and 130 other unspecified equipment.

RU continues to have issues with UA minefields, as well as localized UA artillery having counter-battery superiority.

RU conducted an unsuccessful assault towards Novoyehorivka, SW of Svatove, and in the region of continued UA drone strikes over the past week. RU is also more active in the forests SW of Kreminna. RU shelled the E Kharkiv region 703 times and carried out 13 airstrikes.

An RU drone attack attempted to kill a police investigation group in Kupyansk, who is tasked with arresting collaborators. The driver managed to narrowly evade the grenade.

Heavy rain and storms are expected over the day in S Kharkiv region.


Kramatorsk/Bakhmut:

RU continues to push down from Berkhikva, to the NW of Bakhmut, attempting to gain further control over a road system there. RU forces, recently reinforced, also continue to clash with UA troops to the SW of Bakhmut. Heavy battles continue around Kliischivka, as both sides claim advances.

RU forces carried out 22 assaults in the last 24 hours in Bakhmut, and 503 artillery missions. There were approximately 23 suicide drone launches in the Bakhmut area, and RU continues to rely heavily on aviation.


Avdiivka:

RU forces appear to have made some progress across the rail lines NW of Avdiivka, as air strikes continue to heavily target the industrial district and Coke plant used as a UA defensive position. Per UA commanders in the area, continued RU "Meat assaults" have lead to high casualties in pursuit of RU limited gains, losing some 585 soldiers in infantry-led assaults yesterday.

Per UA there are approximately 40k RU soldiers in the avdiivka area, consistently launching 1-2 squad (10-20 soldier) groups towards UA lines, while surveilling for UA artillery guns that fire on them. Larger assaults are expected as the weather becomes less rainy and muddy.

The last 16 employees of the Avdiivka Coke Plant were evacuated today in anticipation of further RU attacks, after they finished mothballing the plant. There are still 17 residents refusing to evacuate, in the plants only shelter.

RU attempted 11 assaults over the past 24 hours.

Closer to Marinka, RU forces with air support have launched 15 unsuccessful attacks to the SW of avdiivka. UA allegedly retook some territory SW of Avdiivka near vodyane.


Donetsk/Luhansk occupied regions:

Mykhailo Philiponenko, former head of the LPR militia force, was killed in a car bombing. He was accused of running POW camps and personally participating in torture sessions.

UA forces destroyed an RU drone training school in Donetsk.


Zaporizhia/Southern Axis:

RU continues heavy bombing and air strikes around Vuhledar, and are making marginal gains to the SE near Mykilske, as they attempt to open another line towards Vuhledar.

RU did not conduct any major offensive assaults in the E Zaporizhia region, but has continued to conduct shelling and air strikes.

RU continues heavy artillery strikes W of Robotyne, as UA forces continue attempts to push to the SW.


Kherson:

RU forces continue to launch glide bombs into Kherson and the river areas, as UA forces continue to hold onto seized positions across the river in Krynky. There has been no large scale offensive breakouts in the past 2 days, as RU continues attempts to redeploy more troops here from the east.

Per the ISW, there is approximately a battalion sized company of UA light infantry with limited armored forces across the river. UA is apparently reinforcing this position with additional mechanized forces.

RU forces continue to shell Ochakiv with artillery from the Kinburn split.


Odesa/Black Sea/Crimea:

An RU Kh-31 missile struck a Liberian-flagged ship's bridge, killing the local pilot (a UA worker) and wounding 3 of the Philipino crew. The ship was due to transport iron ore to China.

The speculation on use of air launched missiles and ballistics in the S, comes along with reports that the BSF is concentrated in the Novorossiysk region, where there is less infrastructure for loading cruise missiles on ships.

There are currently 3 missile ships in the Black sea, carrying 24 Kalibrs. There remains one ship in the Sea of Azov.


Russia:

Per the WSJ, RU is trying to order returns of helicopter engines and other military equipment from countries it had previously exported weaponry and equipment to. Reportedly, RU is offering to forgive payment on previous arms deliveries if needed equipment for its own stockpiles are returned. This points to continued shortfalls in RU equipment stockpiles, and manufacturing processes to replenish them.

RU has apparently recruited UA POW's into "Boghdan Khmelnytskyi" battalion from various penal colonies, and intends to deploy them in the near future.

RU soldiers claim that senior commanders have increasingly demanded positive news, leading to general lack of factual information being communicated up the chain from field commanders. This manifests as RU official maps differing from the ground situation, and consequent confusion.


General:

UA forces conducted 21 air strikes, and RU forces conducted 50 air strikes and 64 MLRS strikes.

Yesterday Ukrainian forces eliminated:

780x soldiers (Total 307,640 )
22x APC
8x Tank
32x Artillery (3xMLRS)
47x vehicles
10x UAV

The Netherlands are sending 5 F-16 jets to Romania, where UA pilots are expected to begin training soon.


Overseas:

The G7 group of nations stated they will help restore the UA economy, and will not unfreeze RU assets until UA is compensated appropriately.

The EU has denied that it will be blackmailed by Hungary (unfreezing 22 billion euros in allocated funds, frozen for human rights concerns) into halting the 50 billion euro package for Ukraine over the next 4 years.

Germany ordered 100,000 120mm artillery shells to be produced for Ukraine over the next 2 years, approximately 4000/month.

The French government will allocate an additional 200 million euros so that the UA army can continue purchasing French equipment.

Latvia lodged a note of protest after an RU jet entered into Latvian airspace.

The US has imposed export restrictions on seven individuals and three companies for supplying dual-use electronics to Russia, as part of broader RU attempts to restock military electronics.

The White House announced that approximately 96% of allocated funds have been used for ukraine aid, and urged passage of new aid packages.

Slovakia did not approve the 14th package of military aid to Ukraine worth 40 million euros, due to consist of 140 air defense missiles, 6300 artillery shells, and 4 million rounds of rifle ammo. This comes on the heels of a new Slovakian PM who opposed further military assistance to ukraine.

Ukraine managed to evacuate some 43 Ukrainian and 36 Moldovan citizens were evacuated from the Gaza Strip, a personal effort by the UA Minister of Foreign affairs.