Victory Chronicles
-DAY 278

An investigation by the Associated Press found that russia has deported Ukrainian children to Russia or Russian-held territories without consent, lied to them that they weren’t wanted by their parents, used them for propaganda, and given them Russian families and citizenship. (Photo Ukrainska Pravda)

• The Ukrainian Resistance Center reported on November 26 that the Russian occupation administration in Luhansk Oblast conducted medical examinations of 15,000 children between the ages of two and 17 and found that 70% of the children (10,500) are in need of “special medical care” that requires them to be removed to Russia for “treatment.”
• The Resistance Center stated that Russian officials intend these forced deportation schemes to lure children’s families to Russia to collect their children after the children receive treatments, at which point the Resistance Center assessed Russian officials will prevent those families from returning home to Ukraine. The Center‘s report is consistent with ISW’s previous assessment that Russian officials are conducting a deliberate depopulation campaign in occupied Ukrainian territories.

ABC News video: Claims of Russia kidnapping Ukrainian children throughout the region

Above: Raduga Kh-55 (NATO AS-15 Kent) is a 2,500 km range, air-launched, subsonic, strategic cruise missile developed in the Soviet Union in the 1970s. The UK MoD suggested that Russian forces are likely launching the inert missiles as decoys to divert Ukrainian air defenses. (Wikimedia Commons)

• Russian forces are likely using inert Kh-55 cruise missiles in their massive missile strike campaign against Ukrainian critical infrastructure, further highlighting the depletion of the Russian military’s high-precision weapons arsenal. The United Kingdom Ministry of Defense (MoD) reported on November 26 that Russia is likely removing nuclear warheads from aging Kh-55 missiles and launching the missiles without warheads at targets in Ukraine.
• The Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) reported on November 26 that Russian officials appointed a Viktor Yanukovych-linked, pro-Kremlin businessman, Armen Sarkisyan, as the new administrator for prisons in Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine and that Sarkisyan intends to use the role to create a new “private military company.” The GUR reported that Sarkisyan modeled his effort to create a new private military company on the Wagner Group’s recruitment of prisoners in the Russian Federation and that Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan is sponsoring the effort.

Wikipedia video: Launch of russian Kh-55 missile fronm Tu-160 in Syria, 2015

ENEMY UNABLE TO EQUIP AND CARE FOR MOBILIZED FIGHTERS

• Russian tactical, logistical, and equipment failures continue to decrease the morale of Russian troops and drive searches for scapegoats. Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) First Deputy Information Minister Danil Bezsonov claimed on November 25 that “the mistakes of military authorities of all levels” forced Russian President Vladimir Putin to order unpopular partial mobilization.
• According to the available information, preparatory measures are underway in the russian Federation and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to conduct, from December 10 of this year, another wave of covert mobilization into the ranks of the russian occupying forces.
• Russian forces’ continued difficulties providing for soldiers’ medical needs are already hindering the treatment of civilians in Russian-occupied territories. The Ukrainian General Staff reported on November 26 that Russian forces in Luhansk Oblast have suffered major losses and are increasingly appropriating civilian hospitals in occupied areas for exclusively military use. Civilians in Luhansk Oblast are reportedly facing increased difficulty accessing medical services and finding space in morgues.

Above: Destroyed BREM-1 armored vehicle abandoned in Kherson. (Defense Express)

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

• Liquidated personnel, 87,310 (+600)
• Tanks, 2,905 (+4)
• Armored personnel vehicles, 5,856 (+8)
• Artillery systems/MLRS, 1,897/395 (+1/0)
• Anti-aircraft warfare systems, 209 (0)
• Aircraft/helicopters, 278/261 (0)
• UAV operational-tactical level, 1,555 (+1)
• Cruise missiles, 531 (0)
• Warships/boats, 16 (0)
• Vehicles and fuel tanks, 4,412 (+6)
• Special equipment, 163 (0)

Above:  Enemy strikes on civilians in Dnipro city are increasing. (Sky News)

• The enemy launched 2 missile strikes on civilian objects in the city of Dnipro and carried out 38 MLRS attacks on the positions of our troops and civilian objects, in particular, the city of Kherson.
• In the Volyn and Polissya directions, the situation has not changed significantly, and no signs of the formation of enemy offensive groups have been detected.
• In the Siverskyi region, in the border areas of the Bryansk and Kursk regions, enemy units are performing the task of covering the section of the russian-Ukrainian border and conducting demonstration and provocative actions.
• In the Slobozhanskyi direction, the occupiers fired tanks, mortars and barrel artillery at the areas of the settlements of Strilecha, Krasne, Chuhunivka, Izbytske, Ohirtseve, Bochkove, Budarka and Ambarne of the Kharkiv region.
• In the Kupyansk direction, the enemy is concentrating its main efforts on conducting offensive operations. In the Lyman direction – leads the defense. Fired tanks and artillery in the areas of the settlements of Berestove, Kupyansk, Kurylivka, Tabaivka, Krokhmalne of the Kharkiv oblast; Nevske in Luhansk oblast and Yampolivka and Torske in Donetsk oblast. In the area of Stelmakhivka, the russian occupiers used TOS-1A heavy flamethrower systems.
• In the Bakhmut and Avdiivka areas, the enemy continues to focus its main efforts on conducting offensive operations. It caused fire damage in the areas of Andriivka, Spirne, Berestove, Bilohorivka, Yakovlivka, Bakhmutske, Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Kurdyumivka, Avdiivka, Vodyane, Pervomaiske, Maryinka, and Novomykhailivka settlements in the Donetsk oblast.
• The enemy is on the defensive in the Novopavlivka and Zaporizhzhia directions. Fired from tanks, mortars, barrel and jet artillery at the positions of the Defense Forces and the areas of settlements of Novoukrayinka, Vuhledar, Vremivka, Novosilka and Novopil of the Donetsk oblast and Poltavka, Malynivka, Chervone, Zaliznychne, Dorozhnyanka, Novodanilivka and Plavna in Zaporizhzhia oblast.
• In the Kryvyi Rih and Kherson directions, the enemy used mortars, tanks, barrel and rocket artillery to destroy the settlements of Respublikanets, Prydniprovske, Antonivka of the Kherson oblast and the city of Kherson.

Above:  Rail workers are working hard to keep the trains running, here in Kharkiv Oblast.  The enemy targeted civilians on trains and at rail stations before pivoting to critical infrastructure. (Sky News)

• Russian forces continued defensive operations against ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensives along the Svatove-Kreminna line on November 26. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian troops are conducting active defense operations northwest of Svatove in the direction of Kupyansk and west of Kreminna in the direction of Lyman.
• Ukrainian Luhansk Oblast Head Serhiy Haidai noted that Ukrainian troops are continuing to succeed around Svatove and Kreminna, partially due to the low quality and incoherence of mobilized Russian recruits operating in the area. Haidai reported that Ukrainian troops are additionally defending against continual Russian attacks on Bilohorivka, 10km south of Kreminna.

Above:  In eastern Donetsk, five people were killed in shelling over the weekend. (Sky News)

• Russian forces continued to conduct offensive operations around Bakhmut on November 26. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian assaults near Bakhmut, within 4km south of Bakhmut near Opytne, and within 18km northeast of Bakhmut near Soledar, Bakhmutske, and Yakovlivka.
• Russian forces continued to conduct offensive operations in the Avdiivka-Donetsk City area on November 26. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian assaults within 23km southwest of Avdiivka near Pervomaiske, Krasnohorivka, and Nevelske.
• Russian forces continued to conduct defensive operations in western Donetsk and eastern Zaporizhia oblasts on November 26. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces are conducting active defensive operations in these areas.

Above:  Ukrainian defenders of Bakhmut – the hottest war spot now – are enduring unimaginable hardship to defend their country. (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine)

Above: Russian forces may be preparing to leave the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant they have occupied since February, according to the head of Ukraine’s nuclear energy agency.  The head of Energoatom said in an interview Sunday, “In recent weeks we are effectively receiving information that signs have appeared that they are possibly preparing to leave the plant.” (Ukrainska Pravda)

• Russian forces continued establishing fortifications in eastern Kherson Oblast and conducted routine artillery fire against areas on the west (right) bank of the Dnipro River on November 26.
• The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces are fortifying their positions along an unspecified coastline, likely referring to the Black Sea coast, and are preparing a defense-in-depth.
• Russian forces are reportedly moving MLRS and S-300 systems closer to Kherson City, indicating that Russian forces may intend to increase the tempo of rocket and anti-air missile strikes against ground targets north of the Dnipro River in the coming days.
• Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces shelled Kherson City, Antonivka, Chornobaivka, and Beryslav – all on the west (right) bank of the Dnipro River.
• Ukrainian forces continued to strike Russian force concentrations and military assets in Russian rear areas in southern Ukraine. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces struck a Russian ammunition depot in Melitopol, Zaporizhia Oblast, injuring 50 Russian military personnel, and two warehouses in Vasylivskyi Raion, injuring 130 personnel and destroying seven pieces of equipment.