Russia's war on Ukraine. 14.04.24

Operational situation

In the operational zone of the Ukrainian Operational-Strategic Group of Forces (OSG) "Khortytsia", on the Bakhmut direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 36 Russian attacks in the areas of Bilohorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, Vyimka, Spirne, Rozdolivka, Ivanivske, Novyi, Opytne, Klishchiivka, Andriivka. 

In the "Tavriya" OSG operational zone on the Avdiivka direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 9 enemy attacks in the areas of Novokalynove, Novobakhmutivka, Berdychi, Tonenke, Pervomaiske, and Nevelske. On the Novopavlivka direction, they continued to hold back the enemy in the areas of Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, Urozhaine, where the adversary attempted to breach Ukrainian troops' defenses 22 times. On the Orikhiv direction, the enemy attacked the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces 6 times in the area of Staromayorske and northwest of Verbove.

In the operational zone of the "Odesa" OSG on the Kherson direction, the enemy remains determined to dislodge the units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces from the bridgeheads on the left bank of the Dnipro River and launched 3 unsuccessful attacks on their positions.

General conclusion: 

• The situation in eastern Ukraine has significantly escalated, with aggressor forces striking in the directions of Lyman, Bakhmut, and Pokrovsk.

• The enemy's command is deploying new units in operations to achieve tactical successes despite substantial losses.

• The enemy's efforts in Lyman, Chasiv Yar, and Pokrovsk directions focus on immediate operational tasks for each individual direction but lack coordination on a theater-wide scale.

• The enemy's command cannot prioritize one operational direction, hence they are active on all fronts, preventing focused support and sustainment efforts.

• During assault operations, the enemy employs the same tactical models that previously led to significant losses for them.

• Defense forces have successfully repelled enemy attacks and operationally hinder the enemy from achieving their objectives.

Change in the line of contact (LoC):

• There were 76 combat engagements on various fronts.

• On the Lyman direction, positional battles were ongoing in the area of Bilohorivka.

• On the Bakhmut direction, positional battles have been ongoing near Verkhnyokamianske, Vyimka, Spirne, and Rozdolivka. Units of the enemy's 106th Airborne Division were on attack north of Vesele.

• Russian forces have advanced northwest of Klishchiivka, reached the northern outskirts of Bohdanivka, and are attempting to break through towards the eastern outskirts of Chasiv Yar with units from the 331st Airborne Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division and the 58th Separate SOF Brigade of the 1st Army Corps. Intense fighting is taking place near the Novyi district (southeastern outskirts of Chasiv Yar), near Klishchiivka, Opytne, Andriivka, and Pivdenne. Near Ivanivske, the 102nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army is advancing.

• On the Avdiivka direction, Russian forces have advanced in the southern part of Novokalynove, on the western outskirts of Berdychi, to the west within the bounds of Semenivka, and to the south of Pervomaiske along the E-50 Donetsk – Pokrovsk highway.

• Fighting has been ongoing in the areas of Novokalynove, Novobakhmutivka, Berdychi, Semenivka, Umanske, Yasnobrodivka, Pervomaiske, and Netaylove.

• On the Novopavlivka direction, Russian forces have achieved minor gains on the southeastern outskirts of Krasnohorivka and advanced to the north of Novomykhailivka. Fighting has been ongoing in the areas of Heorhiivka, Krasnohorivka, Novomykhailivka, Kostyantynivka, and Vodyane.

• On the Berdyansk direction, positional battles have been ongoing in the areas of Staromayorske and Urozhaine. Russian forces destroyed a bridge between Velyka Novosilka and Vremivka and are targeting a bridge over the Mokri Yaly River northeast of Vremivka. The 5th Separate Tank Brigade of the 36th Army is advancing near Urozhaine

• On the Orikhiv direction, fighting has been ongoing near Robotyne, where the occupiers attempted to advance north along Silska Street, displacing Ukrainian Defense Forces units from positions northwest of Verbove. The enemy has been unable to establish a foothold in Robotyne.

• In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:

  • Black Sea: 1 ship.

  • Mediterranean Sea: 2 ships, including 2 “Kalibr” sea launched cruise missile carriers. The total salvo is 24 cruise missiles.

• The 4th Separate Submarine Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Armed Forces has fully relocated to the naval base in Novorossiysk. Operational readiness is maintained by the Kilo-class submarines: "Velikiy Novgorod" (hull number B-268), "Staryy Oskol" (B-262), "Kolpino" (B-271), and the "Alrosa" (B-871) of the 877EKM class. The "Rostov-on-Don" (B-237) of the 636.3 class is undergoing repairs at the Sevastopol naval base. The "Krasnodar" (B-265) and "Novorossiysk" (B-261) of the 636.3 class are stationed at the Kronstadt naval base in the Baltic Sea, undergoing scheduled maintenance and rotating as part of the operational group of the Russian Navy in the Mediterranean Sea.

• Thus, the enemy command has at its disposal 3 operational Kilo-class submarines of the 636.3 project and 1 of the 877 project for missile strikes and covert operations on maritime routes.

Changes in the enemy disposition:

• Based on the border cover groupings ("Bryansk," "Kursk," and "Belgorod," groupings) a new military grouping "North" is being formed, with Lieutenant General A. Lapin, the commander of the Leningrad Military District, appointed as its commander.

• The "North" grouping will include the 11th Army Corps of the Baltic Fleet (excluding the 7th Separate Motorized Rifle Regiment) and the 138^th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 6th Combined Arms Army. The 44th Army Corps, currently being formed in Karelia, and likely the 25th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, are expected to be transferred to this grouping. It's anticipated that the "North" grouping will comprise up to 48,000 personnel, 350 tanks, 860 armored combat vehicles, 950 artillery pieces, 120 multiple rocket launchers, and 4-6 operational-tactical missile systems.

• The re-grouping of the "West" grouping is nearing completion, which includes forces from the 1st Tank Army and the 20th and 25th Combined Arms Armies. Lieutenant General S. Kuzovlev, the commander of the Moscow Military District, has been appointed as its commander.

Possible operation situation developments:

• The forces of the 20th and 25th Army are unable to complete the forming operation on the Lyman direction and will not be able to occupy a favorable starting position for the offensive on Lyman and the Slovyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration before the beginning of summer.

• The command of the enemy's “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping, 2nd Army Corps, and 106th Airborne Division will make efforts to eliminate the Siversk salient and set conditions for the encirclement of the Slovyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration from the southeast.

• The "Center" Operational Grouping command is focused on executing the following operational plan: to establish conditions for the blockade and encirclement of the Kurakhove area or to create advantageous circumstances for launching an offensive operation to encircle "Tavriya" OSG’s defense in Toretsk area from the south.

• The isolation or complete capture of Kostyantynivka will significantly impair the Ukrainian Defense Forces' ability to maintain the frontline in the southern part of Donetsk Oblast, as it will disrupt the main logistical route along Highway N-20.

Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 14.04.24  

Personnel - almost 453,650 (+890); 

Tanks 7,174 (+5); 

Armored combat vehicles – 13,765 (+20); 

Artillery systems – 11,552 (+34);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,046 (+1);

Anti-aircraft warfare systems - 758 (+2);

Vehicles and fuel tanks – 15,459 (+63);

Aircraft - 347 (0);

Helicopters – 325 (0);

UAV operational and tactical level – 9,235 (+34);

Intercepted cruise missiles – 2,089 (+1);

Boats/ships – 27 (0).

Humanitarian+general:

• According to information provided by the Situation Center of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russian forces shelled 9 regions of Ukraine over the past day. A total of 96 towns and villages and 109 infrastructure objects were attacked with various types of weapons. The number of casualties is being updated/clarified.

• On the night of April 14, 2024, Russian forces launched an attack using 10 "Shahed-131/136" strike UAVs and four S-300/S-400 guided anti-aircraft missiles. Ukrainian air defense forces successfully destroyed all 10 "Shahed" UAVs launched by Russia in the Kharkiv Oblast where they targeted energy infrastructure.

• On the evening of April 13th, around 21:00, Russian occupiers targeted the village of Vesele in Lyptsi community, Kharkiv Oblast. A private house was completely destroyed, resulting in the deaths of two civilians.

• In Donetsk Oblast on April 13th, Russian forces killed three more people over the course of the day. Another five individuals were wounded.

• On the morning of April 14th, the enemy dropped an explosive device from a drone onto a civilian truck in Krasnopil community in Sumy region. The driver was killed.

• On Sunday afternoon, the Russian military dropped an aerial bomb on the town of Ocheretyne in Donetsk Oblast, hitting a five-story building. The body of a 67-year-old woman was recovered from the rubble, two more people were injured.

• At 17:50 in the Dniprovskyi district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a Russian missile was successfully intercepted by the "East" Air Command unit. Debris from the interception injured 5 individuals and caused damage to nearby buildings.

• On April 14th, due to network constraints in the scheduling of shutdowns, power outages were implemented in Kharkiv Oblast. Approximately 24,000 households in 61 populated areas were left without electricity.

• Russian forces are planning a provocation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant under a false flag. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has reported on Facebook, citing intelligence data.

• On the front-line territories of Luhansk region, which were occupied in 2022, there's a critical situation with medications. The population is searching for medical supplies through ads posted in residential areas, as reported by Artem Lysohor, the head of the Luhansk Oblast Military Administration. According to him, the Russians have not organized centralized delivery of medications.

• In the parts of Luhansk Oblast temporarily occupied by Russia, Ukrainian language and literature teachers are being sent by Russian authorities for free vocational training in "Russian language and literature" and "pre-school education." The retraining courses will last for 256 hours.