Russo-Ukraine War - 13 April 2024 - Day 780

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that on 6 April 2024, Russian President Putin passed two laws to support Russian Armed Forces personnel fighting in Ukraine and their families. The first law exempted Russian service personnel fighting in Ukraine from paying interest on consumer loans and credit holidays. This follows on from an October 2022 law which exempted mobilised personnel and other participants of the Russian invasion of Ukraine from accruing penalties for late payments for housing, communal services, loans, and credit card debts.

The second piece of legislation signed by Putin amended the Russian Labour Code and prohibits employers from dismissing widows of Russian service personnel for one year from the date of the husband's death.

The Kremlin has likely instituted these laws in hopes of appeasing Russian service personnel, financially incentivising more recruits to join the fight in exchange for state benefits and to limit criticism from the wives of deceased service personnel. Whilst any payment holidays may cost the Russian federal government little in the short term, they are likely to have longer term implications for the Russian economic situation and outlook.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that on April 13, 60x tactical engagements were reported.

Russian forces launched a total of 1x missile and 65x air strikes, 71x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks have killed and wounded civilians. Residential apartment blocks and private houses as well as other infrastructure were destroyed or damaged.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of the formation of Russian offensive groups were found.
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. Russia continues its sabotage and reconnaissance activities, shelling Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. The Russian adversary launched air strikes in the vicinities of settlements of Volfyne, Pavlivka (Sumy oblast), Zahryzove, and Borova (Kharkiv oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 20x settlements, including Pavlivka, Vysoke (Chernihiv oblast), Vorozhba, and Seredyna-Buda (Sumy oblast).
Kup'yans'k and Lyman axes: Russian forces did not conduct any offensive (assault) operations. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Nevs'ke (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Yampolivka, and Zarichne (Donetsk oblast).
Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian troops repelled 28x attacks in the vicinities of Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Spirne, Rozdolivka, Novyi, Opytne, Andriivka, Ivanivske, and Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast). With the air support, Russian forces attempted to improve their tactical position in that area. More than 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Hryhorivka, Kalynivka, and Chasiv Yar (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 7x attacks in the vicinities of Novokalynove, Novobakhmutivka, Berdychi, Pervomais'ke, and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). With the air support, Russian forces attempted to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their positions in that area. Also, Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Umans'ke and Verkhn'otorets'ke (Donetsk oblast). The invaders fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Novokalynove, Novobakhmutivka, Semenivka, and Netailove (Donetsk oblast).
Novopavlivka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian forces in the vicinities of Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, and Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces made 16x attempts to breach Ukrainian defense in that area. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Staromykhailivka, Vodyane, Volodymyrivka, and Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast). More than 10x settlements, including Heorhiivka, Paraskoviivka, Kostyantynivka, and Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Orikhiv axis: with the air support, Russian forces launched 3x attacks on the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the vicinities of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast) and northwest of Verbove (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast) and Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 20x settlements, including Poltavka, Chervone, Bilohir'ya, Novodanylivka, and Shcherbaky (Zaporizhzhia oblast), came under Russian artillery and mortar fire.
Kherson axis: Russia does not abandon its intention to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their bridgeheads on the left bank of the Dnipro River. On April 13, Russian forces launched 3x unsuccessful attacks on the positions of the Ukrainian troops in the vicinity of Krynky (Kherson oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Tyahynka, Ivanivka, and Ponyativka (Kherson oblast).

On April 13, Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 11x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment, 1x command post, 2x UAV ground control stations, and 1x anti-aircraft missile system.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Avdeyevka direction, as a result of active and self-sacrificing actions, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have liberated Pervomayskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

In addition, eight counterattacks by assault groups of 25th airborne, 59th motorised infantry, 68th jaeger, 23rd, 24th, and 115th mechanised brigades of the AFU have been repelled close to Umanskoye, Pervomayskoye, Krasnogorovka, Berdychi, and Leninskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 235 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces have occupied more favourable lines and defeated manpower and hardware of 79th air assault and 46th airmobile brigades of the AFU near Krasnogorovka and Antonovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Two attacks by enemy assault groups south of Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic) have been also repelled.

The AFU losses were over 500 soldiers, one tank, three armoured fighting vehicles, 23 motor vehicles, and one Strela-10 surface-to-air missile system.

During counter-battery warfare, two U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzers, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer have been hit.

In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces have improved the situation on the front line, defeated a formation of the 54th Mechanised Brigade of the AFU near Kupyansk (Kharkov region) and repelled three attacks by assault groups of the 12th AFU Special Forces Brigade near Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 25 soldiers, three pickup trucks, one Polish-made Krab 155-mm self-propelled artillery system, one Akatsiya 152-mm self-propelled artillery system, one D-20 152-mm howitzer, and one Nota electronic warfare station.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces have improved the tactical position and defeated formations of the AFU 58th Motor Infantry Brigade and the 128th Territorial Defence Brigade near Staromayorskoye and Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were more than 110 soldiers, four pickup trucks, one Polish-made Krab 155-mm self-propelled artillery system, one U.S.-made M777 155-mm howitzer, and one Nota electronic warfare station.

In Kherson direction, units of the Dnepr Group of Forces have inflicted a fire defeat on manpower and hardware of 121st and 126th territorial defence brigades close to Mikhailovka and Ivanovka (Kherson region).

The AFU losses were up to 65 servicemen, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M777 155-mm howitzer, one UK-made FN-70 155-mm howitzer, and one Polish-made Krab 155-mm self-propelled artillery system.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Groups of Forces have neutralised manpower and military hardware in 112 areas. Air defence facilities have shot down 222 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, eight HIMARS and Vampire multiple-launch rocket systems projectiles, and one JDAM guided bomb.

In total, 583 airplanes and 270 helicopters, 20,826 unmanned aerial vehicles, 501 air defence missile systems, 15,767 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,266 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,849 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 20,960 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.