Russia's war on Ukraine. 17.09.24
Operational situation
In the operational zone of the Ukrainian Operational Group of Forces (OTG) "Kharkiv" on the Kharkiv direction, there were two combat engagements near Vovchansk.
In the "Khortytsia" Operational-Strategic Group of Forces (OSG) operational zone on the Kupyansk direction, the number of enemy attacks reached 11 over the day. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled enemy assaults near Novoosynove, Synkivka, and Lozova. On the Lyman direction, the enemy carried out 21 assaults near Hrekivka, Druzhelyubivka, Makiivka, Nevske, Novosadove, Bilohorivka, and in the Serebriansk Forest area. On the Siversk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled three Russian attacks near Ivano-Dariivka and Pereyizne. On the Kramatorsk direction, the occupiers attacked 6 times in the areas of Vasyukivka and Chasiv Yar. On the Toretsk direction, the enemy, with air support, launched 19 attacks near Nelipivka, Druzhba, Toretsk, and Zalizne.
In the "Tavriya" OSG operational zone, on the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces halted 40 aggressor attacks. The most active Russian actions were observed near Vozdvyzhenka, Hrodivka, Novohrodivka, Marynivka, and Krasnyi Yar, with the highest concentration of enemy attacks near Hrodivka and Novohrodivka. On the Kurakhove direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 42 attacks near Ukrainsk, Tsukuryne, Zhelanne Pershe, Heorhiivka, Kostyantynivka, and Katerynivka. On the Vremivka direction, the enemy launched seven attacks toward Vuhledar, Katerynivka, Vodyane, and Kostyantynivka. On the Orikhiv direction, there was an assault on Ukrainian Defense Forces' positions near Robotyne.
In the operational zone of "Odesa" OSG on the Prydniprovskiy direction, the enemy carried out five unsuccessful assaults.
On the Volyn and Polissya directions, no signs of enemy offensive group formations were detected.
Along the border with Chernihiv and Sumy Oblasts, the enemy actively uses artillery and aviation from Russian territory to target Ukrainian villages.
The operation in Kursk Oblast continues.
General conclusion:
In the past month, the enemy's "Sever (North)" Operational Grouping has been reinforced to 35,000–40,000 personnel. Overall command of the counterterrorism operation is being handled by the FSB. The largest reinforcement has been the 106th Airborne Division, redeployed from the Siversk direction. Total losses for the "Sever (North)" Operational Grouping in Kursk Oblast since August 6 are estimated at 20,000 personnel.
In the area of Glushkovo, Kursk Oblast, the enemy did not manage to prepare defensive lines, which is aiding attacks by "Siversk" OTG forces.
The enemy in Kursk Oblast is struggling to choose tactics to counter the "Siversk" OTG maneuver actions.
Russian forces do not conduct active offensive actions near Lyptsi, Hlyboke, Lukyantsi, and Starytsya, but they maintain presence in these areas, conducting internal rotations and logistical support activities.
The redeployment of some troops from the Kupyansk direction to Kursk Oblast, as well as to the Pokrovsk, Kurakhove, and Vuhledar directions, allows the "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping to engage in intensive combat only in one area—the region around Pishchane.
The enemy command has abandoned plans for a wide envelopment of Vuhledar through the area of Velyka Novosilka due to a lack of resources and the unpreparedness of gathered troops for maneuver operations.
In the coming two weeks, the enemy will attempt to capture Toretsk and Nelipivka. The enemy has abandoned the attempt to break through Ukrainian defenses west of Oleksandropil and advance toward Romanivka due to a lack of resources and heavy losses on the Pokrovsk direction.
In the Antonivka–Hola Prystan sector, battles for control of the islands continue. The enemy is trying to create a security zone in front of its defenses on the left bank.
Russian forces are focusing on encircling Ukrainsk from the north and south.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 157 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Kursk Direction, the 22nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and the 82nd Separate Air Assault Brigade inflicted significant losses on the 51st Airborne Regiment of the 106th Airborne Division and the 155th Separate Marines Brigade of the Pacific Fleet during their attack from the Snagost and Apanasovka areas towards Liubimovka. The enemy is encircled in Kremyanoe. "Siversk" OTG advanced south of Vesioloe, west and north of Medvezhie, northwest of Viktorovka, and west of Gordeevka, attacking near Byakhovo, Viktorovka, Krasnooktyabrskoe, Liubimovka, and Mala Loknya.
The enemy began redeploying troops from its eastern flank in the Borki area to the Rylsk area.
Russian forces advanced into the southeastern part of Vesioloe and the northern part of Obukhovka, regaining control of Uspenovka and Borki, and counterattacked near Liubimovka.
Russian authorities announced mandatory evacuations in the Rylsk and Khomutovka districts of Kursk Oblast.
On the Kharkiv direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced northeast of Kharkiv, counterattacking in Vovchansk, near Lyptsi, and Hlyboke.
Russian forces strike Ukrainian positions at the Vovchansk Aggregate Producing Plant in central Vovchansk and conducted offensive actions near Vovchansk, which has been completely destroyed. The enemy is now entrenched in nearby forests.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces advanced near the forest belt southeast of Makiivka, northwest of Tabaiivka, and northwest and southwest of Pishchane, attacking near Synkivka, Petropavlivka, Kolisnykivka, Hlushkivka, and in the direction of Lozova, as well as near Kovalivka, Tverdokhlibove, and Druzhelyubivka.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces attacked near Hrekivka, Makiivka, Nevske, and Novosadove in the area of the Serebriansk Forest.
On the Siversk Direction, Russian forces continued their offensive near Bilohorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, Vyimka, and Ivano-Dariivka but did not achieve any significant advance.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces retreated to the western bank of the “Siversky Donets-Donbas” canal near Ivanivske and Klishchiivka. The loss of positions in Klishchiivka has not yet led to a rapid breakthrough by the enemy 4th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Army Corps near Andriivka, nor has it enabled them to quickly cross the canal. The enemy lacks sufficient engineering equipment.
To the north of Chasiv Yar, the enemy attacks from Kalynivka, attempting to bypass the town. The fighting is intense, but the enemy has made no significant progress, and the Ukrainian Defense Forces hold their positions firmly. They are in a challenging but stable situation here.
Russian forces advanced south of Chasiv Yar to the northwest outskirts of Andriivka, between Hryhorivka and Kalynivka, attacked near Vasyukivka, Kurdyumivka, and Stupochky.
On the Toretsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked in Toretsk, near Zalizne, and New York, significantly complicating the operational situation for the enemy. Fighting continues in the eastern part of Toretsk, near Druzhba, Dachne, Zalizne, and Nelipivka, with attacks towards Shcherbynivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, the withdrawal of “Tavriya" OSG units from Nevelske continues. Ukrainian Defense Forces conducted several successful counterattacks and disrupted enemy attempts to reach the eastern outskirts of Selydove, regaining positions in western Mykhailivka and pushing the enemy back beyond the Mykhailivka-Selidove railway line.
Russian forces advanced southeast of Pokrovsk, reaching Buryaka Street in northern Zhelanne Pershe, the fields northwest of Zhelanne Pershe, and the fields south of Ukrainsk. Fierce battles continue in the areas of Selydove, Hirnyk, Kurakhivka, Oleksandrivka, Hostre, with strikes reported in the areas of Vozdvyzhenka, Novooleksandrivka, Zelene Pole, Hrodivka, Novohrodivka, Krasny Yar, Marynivka, Mykhailivka, Novotoretske, Zhelanne Pershe, Zhelanne Druhe, Ukrainsk, Selidove, and Tsukuryno.
To continue their offensive towards Pokrovsk, the enemy is attempting to eliminate the Nevelske bridgehead and capture Selydove, suffering heavy losses in the process.
On the Kurakhove direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces constantly counterattack near Vodyane, preventing the enemy from entrenching there.
Russian forces advance near Vuhledar, destroying the "Pivdennodonbaska No. 3" mine, and fight near Kostyantynivka, Katerynivka, Maksymilianivka, Vuhledar, and Vodyane.
On the Vremivka direction, in the area of Zavitne Bazhannya, the enemy has concentrated up to 7,000 troops, 120 armored vehicles, and up to 30 tanks. Russian forces attacked near Makarivka, Novodarivka, and in the direction of Solodke.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces continued attacks in the western part of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, making slight progress near Kamianske and intensifying attacks on the eastern bank of the Kakhovka Reservoir.
In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
Black Sea: 1 ship, including 1 cruise missile carrier; the total salvo is 4 cruise missiles.
Mediterranean Sea: 5 ships, 4 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 32 cruise missiles.
There are no combat ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet left at the port of Novorossiysk; all have been relocated to the Gelendzhik area.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
15th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Combined Arms Army operates near Selydove. One company was redeployed to the Kursk direction.
Possible operation situation developments:
The enemy will soon reach the left bank of the Oskil River in the Hlushkivka-Kruhlyakivka sector and split the "Khortytsia" OSG bridgehead on the Oskil River into two parts: a smaller northern (Kupyansk) and a larger southern (Borova) section.
"Tavriya" OSG will not be able to hold the Zhelanne Pershe – Zhelanne Druhe line, as the enemy is already on the western bank of the Vovcha River and is actively advancing along it in a southern direction (Danylivka – Hirnyk). The situation could be salvaged if the "Tavriya" OSG forces reliably hold the Hirnyk – Kurakhivka line, though this remains uncertain.
By the end of this year, the enemy will not only fail to occupy Donetsk Oblast within its administrative borders but also will be unable to seize the "fortress belt" of Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka-Kramatorsk-Slovyansk. The upcoming battle for Pokrovsk will be the climax of the enemy's offensive operation in the Southwestern Theater of Operations in 2024.
We should expect enemy attempts to repeat the tactical maneuver they used at the beginning of the assault on Chasiv Yar: concentrating a large grouping of forces in a narrow sector, creating high tactical density in their formations, while deploying reserves dispersed along the entire front. Until then, the enemy will continue its frontal assault towards Pokrovsk from the southeast, advancing along the Avdiivka-Pokrovsk railway in a relatively narrow corridor (up to 5 km wide) between the Solonenka and Zhuravka rivers.
Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 17.09.24
Personnel - almost 635,880 (+1,020);
Tanks 8,685 (+2);
Armored combat vehicles – 17,077 (+6);
Artillery systems – 18,129 (+6);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,188 (+1);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems - 947 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 24,739 (+27);
Aircraft - 369 (0);
Helicopters – 328 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 15,329 (+66);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 2,592 (0);
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian+general:
On the night of September 17, Ukraine's air defense destroyed 34 out of 51 enemy drones, with 12 UAVs lost to location, and 2 returned to Russia.
On the night of September 17, the Russian forces launched a massive attack with Shahed drones on the city of Sumy. As a result of the attacks, water is being supplied to Sumy at reduced pressure. Due to the lack of electricity, trolleybuses will not run on Tuesday.
As a result of attacks on energy infrastructure in Sumy Oblast, affected settlements include Konotop, Okhtyrka, and Sumy districts. Critical infrastructure objects—water utilities, hospitals, and others—are connected to backup power systems.
During the day on September 17, Russian troops again struck 4 rockets at Sumy’s energy infrastructure. According to residents, some areas of the city experienced power and water outages. In Sumy, two large electrical substations caught fire.
During the day on September 17, the occupiers struck twice with guided bombs on the Kyiv district of Kharkiv, with one impact recorded in a forest belt near a shopping center. Seven people are currently known to be injured, including 4 firefighters who were extinguishing the fire nearby.
On September 17, the Russians dropped explosives from a drone on the Dnipro district of Kherson, resulting in five people injured, one of whom later died in the hospital.
Since the beginning of 2024, over 665 Ukrainian families have adopted children, with more than two thousand families currently in candidate status.
Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported another Russian crime—they executed an unarmed Ukrainian prisoner of war with his hands bound with tape. A photo of the executed Ukrainian soldier appeared on social media on the morning of September 17.
Nearly 40% of the individuals Ukraine has managed to return from Russian captivity were those who had been listed as missing under special circumstances, and their detention in Russia had not been confirmed by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Russia conducted 46 strikes on Ukraine's railway infrastructure in August, according to the press service of Ukrzaliznytsia. Targets of the attacks included energy railway infrastructure, stations, and rolling stock. The most frequent shelling was of facilities in the frontline areas of Donetsk, Kharkiv, and the south of the country.
The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology asked Ukrainians from September 1-6, 2024, whether they would move to the USA or any European country if given citizenship. 79% of respondents said they would remain in Ukraine despite everything. 19% said they would move to another country.