Victory Chronicles-DAY 597

The Security Service of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Navy have attacked the Buyan cruise missile carrier and the ship Pavel Derzhavin using experimental weapons on uncrewed surface vessels.

Ukrainska Pravda sources in the Security Service of Ukraine confirmed that the October 13th attack on the Russian Buyan missile carrier and the blowing up of the Pavel Derzhavin on October 11th were the work of the SSU in cooperation with the Ukrainian Navy.

The Security Service has not disclosed any details yet but added that both vessels were hit by Sea Baby drones with experimental weapons.

“After the first explosion, Russian minesweepers and divers were unable to detect our know-how. Yesterday, the Alrosa submarine was lucky and managed to escape our inventions so far. The Buyan cruise missile carrier was unable to repeat Alrosa’s ‘heroic deed’ and was hit by experimental Sea Baby drone weapons at the Sevastopol raid today. The SSU warns the Muscovites not to sail in Ukrainian waters if they want to preserve at least some remnants of their fleet.” said one of the organizers of the special operation. 

Over the past day, defenders of the Tavriia operational-strategic group of troops eliminated 786 invaders and destroyed 80 units of enemy equipment.

“Over the past 24 hours, the enemy launched 27 airstrikes, 831 artillery strikes and carried out 49 combat engagements. Missile and artillery units of the Tavria operational-strategic group of troops performed 1,589 fire missions during the day. The enemy lost 786 people. Eighty units of enemy military equipment were destroyed, in particular, 13 tanks, 34 armored fighting vehicles, 17 artillery systems, three anti-tank systems, a mounted anti-tank grenade launcher, an air defense system, six UAVs and five vehicles,” said General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, the commander of the Tavria operational-strategic group of troops.

The city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast was attacked by the Russian army on the morning of October 13th, destroying two office buildings, killing at least one person and injuring 13 others.

 “The morning in Pokrovsk began with the enemy attacking. The Russians targeted the city center, as of now (10:06) there is at least one person dead and 13 wounded. Two buildings were damaged” reported Donetsk Oblast Military Administration.

The weapon type used and the attack’s final aftermath are being established. The State Emergency Service reported that three people had been rescued from under the rubble. Rescue workers said two office buildings had been destroyed.

The enemy attacked Izmail at night; private houses were damaged, a drone fell on one of them, and a five-story building that stood opposite to the houses had windows and doors smashed. One person was injured, an 88-year-old woman who was taken to the hospital with burns.

Russian forces likely launched a significant and ongoing offensive effort around Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast on October 10. ISW observed Russian forces simultaneously attacking northwest, west, and south of Avdiivka using armored assault groups, rotary wing aircraft, and concentrated artillery starting on October 10. Avdiivka City Military Administration Head Vitaliy Barabash indicated that Russian forces are carrying out assaults with air support in 10 to 12 directions around the settlement. Ukrainian military observers framed Russian offensive operations against Avdiivka as a “major attack” and noted that Russian forces used an unusually high number of armored vehicles in combat.

Russian forces’ increased use of armored vehicles and aviation – alongside persistent simultaneous ground attacks – indicates that Russian forces are conducting an offensive effort more significant in scope and intent than ISW previously assessed on October 10 and October 11. ISW is revising its assessment that Russian attacks around Avdiivka are local efforts intended solely to fix Ukrainian forces but is not prepared to assess the exact objectives and likely outcome of Russian efforts in the Avdiivka direction at this time.

Senior defender Vasyl Borukh, with the call sign Historian, died in the Zaporizhzhia sector on July 12, 2023. He received fatal shrapnel wounds while saving his brother-in-arms in a battle with the occupiers. The warrior is forever 50.

Vasyl was born in the village of Drohomyshl, Lviv Oblast. He lived in Lviv. At first, he studied at the Drohomyshlya secondary school named after Petro Vasylykha, then entered the Nagachiv secondary school of I-III degrees. He received his higher education at the Faculty of History of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. He served in the Border Troops. For 30 years, he worked as a history teacher at Domazhyr Secondary School in the Lviv Oblast. He had an active civic position and participated in the Revolution of Dignity.

From the first days of the full-scale war, the man voluntarily took up arms to defend his country. At first, he was a member of the 10th Separate Rifle Battalion of the Territorial Defense Forces and later transferred to the 116th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was awarded the Honor and Glory decoration for personal bravery in combat missions.

“Vasyl was an incredible patriot of his homeland. For almost 30 years he taught the history of Ukraine, and over the years he taught many students to be proud of being Ukrainian! He volunteered in the early days with the words: “Now the fate of Ukraine is being decided, if I don’t stand up for it, I won’t be able to teach history,” said his niece Halyna Volosko. The defender was buried on the Mars Field of the Lychakiv Cemetery in Lviv. Vasyl is survived by his wife Halyna, daughter Yulia, son Markian, other relatives, friends and brothers-in-arms.

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