Victory Chronicles
-DAY 289

ISW KEY TAKEAWAYS: KREMLIN SHORT-TERM GOAL TO TAKE ALL OF 4 PARTIALLY-OCCUPIED OBLASTS

Above: How ruzzia world protects residents of southeastern Ukraine: Deliberate murder of 600 residents at the Mariupol Drama Theater in March. (CBC)

• Kremlin spokesman stated that one of the main goals of the Russian “special military operation” in Ukraine was to “protect residents of southeastern Ukraine and Donbas”, that Moscow’s current territorial objective is to fully seize four partially occupied Ukrainian oblasts and that  the Kremlin is still pursuing regime change (“denazification”) and the elimination of Ukraine’s ability to resist future Russian attacks or pressure (“demilitarization”).
• Prominent Russian milblogger, and Russian Human Rights Commission member stated that he wanted to address the continuing issues of lack of communication, payments, and insufficient supplies and equipment within the Russian forces during Putin’s meeting with the HRC on December 7, but was unable to do so due to time constraints.
• Russian officials are conducting searches for deserters in Astrakhan, Rostov, and Volgograd oblasts, and in the Kalmykia Republic despite putin’s statement that fewer military personnel are fleeing frontlines. putin also claimed that information circulating about Russian forces shooting deserters for abandoning positions in Ukraine is fake and has no basis.
• In Luhansk oblast, the occupation authorities are legally reorganizing individual units in order to deny  the relatives of the dead servicemen compensation in the amount of 3 million russian rubles [USD 48K).
• The Kremlin may also be setting conditions to mobilize Ukrainian men in Russian-occupied territories. Russian forces are discussing the possibility of mobilizing 17-year-old Ukrainians in occupied territories.

GENERAL STAFF DAILY ENEMY LOSSES

Above: “One more russian tank destroyed by our anti-tank mine trap”. (Максим)

https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua

Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces estimated enemy losses for last 24 hours

• Liquidated personnel, 93,390 (+310)
• Tanks, 2,937 (0)
• Armored personnel vehicles, 5,912 (+1)
• Artillery systems/MLRS, 1,926/395 (+1/0)
• Anti-aircraft warfare systems, 211 (0)
• Aircraft/helicopters, 281/264 (0)
• UAV operational-tactical level, 1,603 (0)
• Cruise missiles 592 (0)
• Warships/boats, 16 (0)
• Vehicles and fuel tanks, 4,531 (+3)
• Special equipment, 164 (0)

CIVILIAN MISSILE STRIKES

Above: “Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed on Thursday to keep battering Ukraine’s energy grid despite an outcry against the systematic attacks that have plunged millions into the cold and dark as winter sets in”. (AFP News)

• There is still a threat of enemy missile strikes on the objects of the energy system and critical infrastructure throughout the territory of Ukraine.
• In the Siversky direction, the enemy shelled the settlements of Khrinivka and Hremyach in the Chernihiv oblast and Seredyna-Buda and Chernetske in the Sumy oblast with mortars and barrel artillery.
• In the Slobozhanskyi direction, areas of Veterynarne, Hoptivka, Strilecha, Zelene, Ternova, Starytsa, Varvarivka, Dvorichna and Kamianka settlements of the Kharkiv oblast were hit by artillery fire. The occupiers launched an airstrike near Kamianka.
• The enemy is defending in the Kupyansk It carried out shelling in the areas of the settlements of Berestovka, Synkivka, Petropavlivka, Kyslivka, Kotlyarivka and Tabaivka in the Kharkiv oblast and Novoselivske, Stelmakhivka and Pishchane in the Luhansk oblast.
• On the Lyman direction, the enemy shelled the areas of Makiivka, Ploshchanka and Nevske settlements in the Luhansk oblast, and Torske and Hryhorivka settlements in the Donetsk
• In the Bakhmut and Avdiivka areas, the enemy is concentrating its main efforts on conducting offensive operations. Areas of thirty settlements were shelled by tanks, mortars and rocket artillery. Among them are Andriivka, Verkhnyokamianske, Berestovka, Bilogorivka, Vesele, Blagodatne, Soledar, Bakhmutske, Bakhmut, Opytne, Avdiivka, Vodyane, Pervomaiske, Nevelske, Krasnohorivka, Hostre, Maryinka, and Novomykhailivka of the Donetsk The enemy struck with the forces of operational-tactical and army aviation in the areas of the settlements of Spirne, Klishchiivka, Pivnichne, Kamianka, Pervomaiske and Nevelske.
• The enemy is defending in the Novopavlivsk It carried out artillery and mortar attacks on the positions of our troops near the settlements of Vuhledar, Novosilka, Prechystivka and Zolota Nyva in the Donetsk oblast.
• In the Zaporizhzhia direction, the areas of twenty-two settlements were damaged by fire. In particular, these are Vremivka and Novopil of the Donetsk oblast and Dorozhnyanka, Hulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Orihiv, Novodanylivka, Novoandriivka, Mali Shcherbaky, Stepove of the Zaporizhzhia The occupiers also used aviation for strikes on the areas of Mali Shcherbaky and Stepove.
• The enemy is conducting defensive operations in the Kherson It carried out tank and artillery shelling of the districts of seventeen settlements. Among them are Kachkarivka, Monastyrske, Novoberyslav, Beryslav, Lviv, Ivanivka, Novotyahynka, Inzhenerne, Prydniprovske and Antonivka of the Kherson oblast and the outskirts of the city of Kherson.

KHARKIV-LUHANSK

Above:  2022 Kharkiv municipal New Year’s tree protected in underground metro station. (Business Ukraine mag)

Map via ISW

• Russian forces conducted a limited assault northeast of Kharkiv City likely in an ongoing effort to conduct reconnaissance-in-force and fix Ukrainian forces at the international border in Kharkiv Oblast. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian assault near Ternova, Kharkiv Oblast (40km northeast of Kharkiv City).
• Russian forces have completed an almost continuous trench system along the 60km between Svatove and the Russian border.
• Russian forces reportedly reinforced positions and conducted a limited counterattack near Svatove on December 8. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian assault near Stelmakhivka (16km northwest of Svatove).
• Russian forces continued to conduct a higher pace of counterattacks in the Kreminna area amid ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive operations on December 8. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian assaults within 17km northwest of Kreminna near Ploshchanka and Chervonopopivka and within 12km south of Kreminna near Bilohorivka.

LUHANSK-DONETSK-ZAPORIZHZHIA

Above: “Bakhmut. Every day under heavy shelling. Every day full of fear and suffering”.  (Ukraine World)

Map via ISW

• Russian forces continued offensive operations around Bakhmut on December 8. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian assaults near Bakhmut; within 27km northeast of Bakhmut near Bilohorivka, Berestove, Yakovliva, Bakhmutske; and within 22km south of Bakhmut near Opytne, Kurdyumivka, and Mayorsk.
• Russian forces continued offensive operations in the Avdiivka–Donetsk City area on December 8. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian assaults within 37km southwest of Avdiivka near Marinka and Novomykhailivka.
• Russian forces continued defensive operations in western Donetsk and eastern Zaporizhia oblasts on December 8. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces are defending their positions in this area of the front.
• Russian occupation officials plan to mobilize residents in occupied Zaporizhia Oblast to replenish Russian losses and began summoning men of military age in Melitopol to military recruitment centers.

KHERSON-ZAPORIZHZHYA

Above: Liberation of Kherson in November. (AFP News)

Map via ISW

• Ukrainian forces continued to target rear areas in southern Ukraine on December 8. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that Russian air defenses intercepted Ukrainian MLRS rounds near Tokmak.
• Multiple unidentified explosions (possibly Ukrainian strikes) occurred at an air base in occupied Berdyansk, but Russian occupation authorities denied the reports of explosions.
• Russian forces further militarized the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). Ukrainian state nuclear energy agency Energoatom reported on December 8 that Russian forces transferred several Grad MLRS systems near reactor number 6 and the dry storage fuel area at the ZNPP.
• Ukrainian and Russian sources reported that Russian air defenses activated over Sevastopol overnight, and Sevastopol occupation head Mikhail Razvozhaev later stated that Russian air defenses shot down a UAV.
• Russian occupation authorities announced on December 8 that they began work to restore the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) in occupied Nova Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast. Russian authorities could attempt to mine the dam under the guise of restoration Ukrainian artillery fire can likely deny Russian authorities opportunities to perform any work to the HPP or dam itself, however.
• Russian forces have intensified security measures in Zaporizhia Oblast to prevent Ukrainian “terrorist actions” and are conducting searches throughout the oblast with the help of collaborators. Multiple Russian sources shared video footage reportedly showing Russian FSB officers detaining and questioning individuals believed to be aiding Ukrainian special services in Russian-occupied Sevastopol, Crimea.