Oleg Zhdanov, the Ukrainian military expert, with his battlefield and military-political situation update on 23 August 2022. The update took place at 16:00 Kyiv time (2PM BST).
Volyn-Polesye (Belarus – North)
In the border areas with Ukraine, the enemy actively uses EW tools attempting to suppress Ukrainian communications, and interfere and listen for communications. The threat of rocket and aviation strikes from Belarus remains.
Northern direction
Artillery strikes of the Ukrainian territory, both Sumy and Chernihiv Oblasts suffered from shelling.
Slobozhanshina direction
The adversary is attempting to hold on to captured territories and improving their tactical position. As of now, no attempts were successful.
Kharkiv direction
Artillery and aviation strike on Ukrainian positions. Adversary actively uses UAVs for adjusting artillery fire.
Sloviansk direction
Fairly quiet in the past day aside from artillery exchanges, but no other battles took place except for some positional fights.
Donetsk direction
Active operations by the adversary towards Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions, the enemy is not abandoning attempts to move further or improve their positions.
Kramatorsk direction
No activity by the adversary, except for artillery exchanges.
Bakhmut direction
Artillery shelling, attempts of recon in force at Zaytsevo, but also assault operations at Zaytsevo and Kademy. No success, adversary took losses and fled. This was the most active direction in the past day or so.
Avdiivka direction
Using tanks, guns and missile artillery, adversary shelled Ukrainian positions. Used aviation strikes on Ukrainian positions. Assaulted Krasnogorovka and Pervomayskoye. The assault failed, the enemy retreated to original positions.
Novopavloskoye direction
More artillery exchanges, the adversary assaulted at Novomikhaylovka, Zolotaya Niva, but with no success, and retreated.
Zaporizhye direction
No major activity, aviation strikes and minor artillery shelling, with Ukraine promptly responding. Minor active infantry skirmishes.
Yuzhniy Bug (Pivdenniy Bug) direction
The enemy holds on to taken positions, attempts to replenish losses in vehicles and personnel, which is difficult due to Ukrainian bridge strikes. The attack on Antonovsky bridge hit a column resulting in 60 dead and 30 wounded, also vehicles and bridge repair vehicles have been burned. Despite previous reports, this unlikely was a column carrying ammunitions.
In this direction, the enemy also conducted active recon with aviation, including aviation strikes.
The Black Sea
No changes, same group of two Kalibr missile carriers ready to strike Ukraine. Russian attempts to interfere with ships moving in South West part of the sea.
City shelling by and against Ukraine
Russia could use 23-24 August to carry out missile strikes on Ukraine. US citizens were advised to be careful. So far, just Dnipro suffered from missile strikes however. Allegedly, one missile in the city was taken down.
Kharkiv also suffered from shelling, and same for Orekhov. Bakhmut was shelled with artillery, same for Zaporizhye and Nikopol. But as of now, there were no mass missile strikes. With 24 August approaching, which is the Independence Day in Ukraine, this is likely to be very annoying to Putin, so there is no time to relax. Today Zelensky spoke about these potential strikes and promised to retaliate if they take place.
As for strikes by Ukraine, Zelenovka, Chernnobavyevka, Kakhovka, bridges of Dnieper were all targets of Ukrainian strikes. Antonovsky bridge may collapse as it is likely seriously damaged, it may not even be able to hold the load of a group of people, not even talking about vehicles.
Also, Donetsk was struck today with its occupational administration hit, but unfortunately the “DPR” leader Pushilin is still alive. Additionally, there were strikes in Starobeshevo which resulted in detonations, but also explosions in Belgorod, thought the extent of damage in the latter is not clear.
International update
- Tomorrow, “Crimean Platform” summit will commence with 60 countries. It was originally created for humanitarian and social issues. Likely, a coordination centre created by the Ukrainian president will be revealed. This centre will be involved with issues of de-occupation and de-militarisation of the peninsula. The president of Poland has already arrived in Kyiv, and a few more leaders are expected shortly.
- USA will strengthen sanctions in order to limit Russia’s ability to gain profits. This will involve influencing states that purchase Russian energy.
- “Politico” expressed an opinion that the USA may privately be providing weapons to Ukraine, but this is just an opinion. Still, it would make sense to keep it quiet and only announce when the weapons are already used or delivered. Possibly, this is what was meant by Politico.
- Yesterday (22 Aug), China began drills in the sea to again demonstrate power to Taiwan. The USA started their own drills with South Korea which will run until 1 September, this will include both air, sea and training grounds drills.
- Yesterday, new civil air siren methods were announced in Ukraine with different sound tones to reflect weapon types, though this is questionable since one cannot predict which weapons might be carried by a plane. This may only be properly usable to warn about planes themselves, or missiles. However, these news turned out to be fake.
- In Crimea, unknown people hacked Russian TV, and many channels in Crimea broadcasted an address by Zelensky, which would have been a great surprise for Crimean residents to hear the voice of the legal president.
