Victory Chronicles
-DAY 337

KEY TAKEAWAYS TODAY: MOSCOW MILITARY FOCUSED MOSTLY ON MIND MANIPULATION

Above:  Ukrainian energy company DTEK announced that it started electricity imports from Europe to reduce the deficit in Ukraine’s energy system. DTEK said that current transmission capacity “allows us to import about 500 million kWh of electricity per month, which is equal to the monthly consumption of 2 million households.” As part of a long-term program initiated in 2017, the Moldovan and Ukrainian energy systems were synchronized with the European continental system in March 2022.  (MIT Technology Reviews )

Above: “Odesa is Ukraine” – sandbags in front of the Odesa’s famous opera theater, built by Austro-Hungarian architects.  This week, historic downtown Odesa, Ukraine, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Danger. (Photo: Slovo i dilo)

Above: Map of Europe in 1766, just before the Russian Empire captured Odesa from the Ottoman Empire. Europe was dominated by the Holy Roman Empire and most of today’s European countries didn’t exist. Yet, Russian propaganda pushes the demented demand that Russia still owns these empire lands and will take them back by brute force.  (Wikimedia Commons)

• The day in Ukraine started with an early wave of Iranian drones and ended with a barrage of cruise missiles targeted at energy and other critical infrastructure, complements of russia world. Explosions heard in several cities, damage to infrastructure still being clarified.
• After previously drawing a red line and threatening nuclear retaliation, the Kremlin minimized the Western provision of tanks to Ukraine. A Kremlin spokesperson said that the Western provision of Abrams and Leopard tanks is a failed attempt to overcome clearly superior russian forces.
• The Russian military appears to be shifting its focus towards conventional forces and away from the non-traditional and illegal-in-russia private mercenary forces, possibly ahead of a new offensive in Luhansk Oblast. Moscow is trying to distract attention from failure in Bakhmut by pushing new stories of success around Vuhledar, Donetsk, and southern Zaporizhzhya.
• Starting this week, the US is designating Wagner as a transnational criminal organization, a move that will allow the US to freeze any assets the company may have in the United States and ban Americans from providing money, goods or services to the group. The US has produced evidence that Wagner is working with North Korea to secure rockets and missiles for offensive operations in Ukraine.
• The Kremlin is attempting to downplay new restrictions on crossing the Russian border, likely to contain panic over a potential second mobilization wave. A Duma lawmaker has prepared amendments to the Russian law on crossing the Russian border that will require all drivers to reserve a date and time to cross the border between March 1, 2023, and March 1, 2024, via a government information system.

General Staff’s Daily Video Digest with English subtitles

GENERAL STAFF DAILY ENEMY LOSSES

Above: New York Times

General Staff on Facebook

Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces estimated enemy losses since February 24, 2022 (with daily additions)

• Liquidated personnel, 123,860 (+780)
• Tanks, 3,175 (+14)
• Armored personnel vehicles, 6,334 (+27)
• Artillery systems/MLRS, 2,169/452 (+15/2)
• Anti-aircraft warfare systems, 220 (0)
• Aircraft/helicopters, 292/282 (+2/1)
• UAV operational-tactical level, 1,908 (+6)
• Cruise missiles, 749 (0)
• Warships/boats, 18 (0)
• Vehicles and fuel tanks, 4,986 (+19)
• Special equipment, 195 (+1)

GENERAL STAFF CIVILIAN MISSILE STRIKES

Above: Ukraine’s first responders and public utility workers risk and occasionally lose their lives trying to keep the power grid running during enemy missile and drone attacks, like this morning across Ukraine. (Ukrainska Pravda)

Glory to Ukraine! The three hundred and thirty-seventh day of the Russian large-scale invasion has begun.

• Over the past day, the enemy launched 37 air strikes and 10 missile strikes, in particular, on the civilian infrastructure of the cities of Dnipro and Zaporizhia. It carried out 97 attacks from rocket salvo systems, residential buildings in Kherson were also hit. According to preliminary information, at night the enemy used 24 Iranian attack drones “Shakhed-136”. All of them were destroyed by the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
• There is a great danger of further Russian air and missile attacks on the entire territory of Ukraine.
• The defense forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of the settlements of Chervopopivka in Luhansk region and Verkhnyokamianske, Spirne, Rozdolivka, Blagodatne, Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Maryinka, Vuhledar and Pavlivka in Donetsk
• In the Siversky direction, the enemy shelled the areas of Leonivka, Yasnaya Polyana, and Mykhalchyna Sloboda in the Chernihiv region, and Budivelny, Volfyny, and Timofiivka in the Sumy
• In the Slobozhansky direction, twenty settlements were hit by shelling. Among them are Budarky, Vovchanski Khutory, Liptsi, Vovchansk, Krasne and Neskuchne of the Kharkiv
• In the Kupyansk direction, Sinkivka, Ivanivka, Kotlyarivka and Tabaivka in the Kharkiv region and Stelmakhivka in the Luhansk region were affected by the fire.
• In the Lymansky direction, the enemy shelled the positions of our troops in the areas of the settlements of Makiivka, Ploshanka, Chervopopivka, and Nevske in the Luhansk region, and in the Veryginsky Forestry and Yampolivka in Donetsk
• In the direction of Bakhmut, twenty-two settlements were damaged by fire, in particular, Ivanivske, Krasnopolivka, Spirne, Bakhmut, Ozaryanivka, New York, Klishchiivka and Kurdyumivka of the Donetsk
• On the Avdiivsky direction, Avdiivka, Vodiane, Pervomaiske, Berdychi, Nevelske, Krasnohorivka, Maryinka, and Novomykhailivka came under enemy fire.
• In the direction of Novopavlivsk, the enemy shelled Bogoyavlenka, Prechistivka, and Zolota Niva in the Donetsk
• In the Zaporizhzhia direction, the areas of twenty-five settlements were affected by tank and artillery fire, including Vremivka, Vilne Pole, Novopil of the Donetsk region, and Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, and Orihiv in Zaporizhzhia.
• In the Kherson direction, the occupiers continue to shell peaceful towns and villages. Twenty settlements were affected, in particular, Beryslav, Antonivka, Dudchany, Kachkarivka, Bilozerka, Novokairy, Republikanets and Kherson. There are victims among the civilian population.

Our strength is in unity! Together we will win! Glory to Ukraine!

KHARKIV-LUHANSK

Above: A defender in liberated Kupyansk, Kharkiv.  (Politico)

Map via ISW

• Russian forces continued limited ground attacks to regain lost positions near Kreminna. Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian assault near Bilohorivka, Luhansk Oblast (12km southeast of Kreminna).
• Russian MoD may be planning a new offensive in western Luhansk Oblast centered on launching an attack along the Svatove-Kreminna line, supported by critical ground lines of communication running from Luhansk City and Starobilsk.
• Various conventional enemy forces have been arrayed across the Svatove-Kreminna, removed from the months-long assault on Bakhmut.  Enemy combat elements have withdrawn from Belarus and partially deployed to Luhansk Oblast.
• Ukrainian forces have likely made advances around Kreminna as of January 25. Combat footage geolocated on January 24 shows Ukrainian forces ambushing a Russian Airborne Forces convoy east of Dibrova.
• Ukrainian forces conducted a HIMARS strike on Kreminna and Rubizhne in Luhansk Oblast on January 25.
• The northern Caucases Republic of Karachay-Cherkess has taken patronage of the Starobilsk district, Luhansk Oblast, to ensure the provision of housing and communal services, roads, schools, agriculture, and production.

DONETSK-ZAPORIZHZHYA

Above:  Ukrainian military helicopter in Donbas. (New York Times)

Map via ISW

• Ukrainian forces withdrew from Soledar after successfully exhausting Russian forces in the area and preventing a systematic Russian breakthrough into Ukrainian rear areas.
• Russian forces continued offensive operations around Bakhmut on January 25. Ukrainian forces repelled Russian assaults near Bakhmut. The Bakhmut area remains the epicenter of combat operations and that Russian forces continue to conduct daily assaults in the direction of the city. However, the Wagner Group has failed to deliver on its promise of securing Bakhmut and has been unable to progress beyond minor tactical gains in Soledar and other surrounding small settlements.
• Russian forces continued offensive operations in the Donetsk City-Avdiivka area on January 25. Ukrainian forces repelled Russian assaults near Novobakhmutivka (14km northeast of Avdiivka), Krasnohorivka (23km southwest of Avdiivka), and Marinka (32km southwest of Avdiivka).
• Russian forces reportedly continued localized offensive operations near Vuhledar (28km southwest of Donetsk City) on January 25.

KHERSON-ZAPORIZHZHYA-CRIMEA

Above: Loading ammo in Zaporizhzhya territory. (New York Times)

Map via ISW

• Ukrainian and Russian forces continue to skirmish across the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast. Geolocated footage confirms that Ukrainian forces landed near Nova Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast, during an overnight raid on January 23-24, indicating that Russian forces may not have full control over the eastern shoreline of the Dnipro River.
• Russian forces continued to target the Kherson City area on January 25. Russian forces struck Kherson City with incendiary munitions.
• Turkish outlet NTV reported that Russian shelling hit the Turkish ship Tuzla in the Kherson City port overnight on January 24-25, starting a fire.
• Russian forces deported all residents of Nechaeve, Kherson Oblast, to southern Ukraine to set up their personnel in vacated homes.
• From February 1, all Kherson occupation authority-funded repair and construction work will be stopped to redirect funds to support armed aggression against Ukraine.
• Russian forces continued to conduct small-scale attacks with 10- to 15-person groups on the Zaporizhzhya front to undermine Ukrainian defenses and disperse Ukrainian forces. Russian forces are transferring additional reserves to this axis due to heavy losses. Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian ground attack near Charivne, approximately 70km southeast of Zaporizhzhya City.
• Russian occupation authorities are trying to recruit 150 Belarusian engineers to help staff the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant as Ukrainian workers refuse to cooperate with occupation officials in Enerhodar, Zaporizhia Oblast.
• Russian forces are importing doctors from Russia to mitigate manpower shortages in hospitals as Ukrainian doctors and hospital staff continue resisting Russian occupation efforts.
• Occupation authorities claim that preparations are underway to construct a new highway from southern temporarily-occupied territories to Rostov, to be followed by a second stage connecting the region directly to Moscow.
• In temporarily-occupied Crimea, the enemy is conducting preparatory measures for the next wave of mobilization planned for the end of February. . By January 29, all entities must submit lists of persons for reservation to military commissariats.