Victory Chronicles
-DAY 299

ISW KEY TAKEAWAYS: KREMLIN FIGHTING HARD TO WIN WAR ON TRUTH

Above: the tiny kremlin dictator is still determined to take Kyiv and install a puppet government. (KTRE9)

• Russian military leadership is engaged in a campaign to present itself as part of an effective wartime apparatus in an effort to address the public perception of Russian failures in Ukraine.
• The recent concerted efforts by Russian military officials to present themselves as actively engaged in planning and controlling the war effort, especially in the absence of tangible military victories in Ukraine, may suggest that Russia is preparing for a renewed offensive against Ukraine in the coming months.
• Putin’s planned December 19 meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is likely part of the same effort to present proactivity as well as an effort to set information conditions for a new phase of the war. The Ukrainian government believes Putin will discuss the wider involvement of Belarusian forces in further Russian aggression against Ukraine.

GENERAL STAFF DAILY ENEMY LOSSES

Above:  Neighborhoods littered with destroyed enemy equipment. (The Kyiv Independent)

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

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

• Liquidated personnel, 98,800 (+520)
• Tanks, 2,988 (+1)
• Armored personnel vehicles, 5,969 (+6)
• Artillery systems/MLRS, 1,953/410 (+5/0)
• Anti-aircraft warfare systems, 212 (+1)
• Aircraft/helicopters, 281/264 (0)
• UAV operational-tactical level, 1,657 (+8)
• Cruise missiles, 653 (0)
• Warships/boats, 16 (0)
• Vehicles and fuel tanks, 4,592 (+13)
• Special equipment, 175 (+1)

CIVILIAN MISSILE STRIKES

Above: The war started with an assault on Kyiv and a preview of the terrorism campaign on civilians in Bucha. (New York Times)

• Glory to Ukraine! The two hundred and ninety-ninth day of the Russian large-scale invasion has begun.
• Over the past day, units of the Defense Forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of the settlements of Stelmakhivka, Makiivka, Chervonpopivka, and Belogorivka in the Luhansk region, and Verkhnyokamianske, Bakhmutske, Pidhorodne, Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, Krasnohorivka, Oleksandropil, Maryinka, Pobyeda, and Novomykhailivka in the Donetsk region .
• Over the past 24 hours, the Russian occupiers have launched 4 missile and 7 air strikes with the help of Shahed-136 type unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as 55 attacks from rocket salvo systems. Settlements, civilian infrastructure and the civilian population were affected.
• The enemy started the current day with the use of attack air defense systems, detailed information will be provided after clarification.
• In the Volyn and Poliske directions, the situation has not changed significantly, and no signs of the formation of enemy offensive groups have been detected.
• On the Siverskyi direction, the settlements of Gremyach in Chernihiv region and Bilokopytove in Sumy were hit by mortar fire.
• In the Slobozhansk direction, the enemy shelled the areas of Chervona Zorya, Strelecha, Hlyboke, Staritsa, Vovchansk, Volohivka, Chugunivka, Figolivka, Dvorichna and Novomlynsk settlements of Kharkiv region.
• In the Kupyansk direction, the areas of Yagidne, Kislivka, Kotlyarivka, Krokhmalne and Berestov in Kharkiv region and Novoselivske and Stelmakhivka in Luhansk region were affected by fire.
• In the Lymansky direction, the enemy shelled Makiivka, Ploshanka, Chervonopivka, and Dibrova of the Luhansk region.
• In the direction of Bakhmut, the enemy fired tanks and rocket artillery at the areas of the settlements of Verkhnokamyanske, Spirne, Berestovka, Bilogorivka, Yakovlivka, Soledar, Hryhorivka, Bakhmutske, Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar, Stupochki, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, Kurdyumivka, Diliivka, Ozaryanivka, Northern and Opytne of Donetsk region.
• In the Avdiyiv direction, shelling was recorded near Avdiivka, Krasnohorivka, Maryinka, and Novomykhailivka, Donetsk region.
• On the Zaporizhia and Kherson directions, the enemy hit the areas of Temyrivka, Chervone, Novoandriivka, Mali Shcherbaki, and Plavni settlements of the Zaporizhia region with rocket and barrel artillery; Chervonogrihorivka and Nikopol – Dnipropetrovsk and Sadov, Kherson, Komyshany and Kizomys of Kherson region. There are casualties among civilians.
• The occupiers continue to search the population in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. Special attention is paid to mobile phones and smartphones.
• The number of invaders in the settlements of the Melitopol district has increased. In addition, the Russian occupiers are considering the possibility of involving former police officers who have defected to the enemy to participate in hostilities.
• During the past day, the Ukrainian aviation made 9 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment and 3 strikes on the positions of the enemy’s anti-aircraft missile systems.
• At the same time, our defenders shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle of the “Shahed-136” type.
• Units of missile forces and artillery of the Defense Forces of Ukraine hit the control post, the area of concentration of manpower, 2 enemy ammunition depots, as well as the counter-battery radar station “Zoopark”.
• Believe in the Armed Forces! Together we will win! Glory to Ukraine!

KHARKIV-LUHANSK

Above:  BBC

Map via ISW

• Ukrainian and Russian sources reported that positional fighting continued along the Svatove-Kremmina line.

LUHANSK-DONETSK-ZAPORIZHZHIA

Above:  Ukrainian service members carry weapons in Bakhmut, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Donetsk region, Ukraine  The Hindu

Map via ISW

• Ukrainian and Russian sources reported ongoing fighting in the outskirts of Bakhmut and to the northeast and south of the city. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that Russian forces captured Yakovlivka, Donetsk Oblast, northeast of Soledar.
• Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces dislodged Russian forces from long-held positions near Bakhmut.

KHERSON-ZAPORIZHZHYA-CRIMEA

Above: It’s only been one month since Kherson was liberated. (Euronews)

Map via ISW

• Russian forces are redeploying units from the east (left) bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast and that it is too early to tell whether Russian forces are withdrawing.
• The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces struck two Russian force concentrations and two ammunition depots in Zaporizhia Oblast on December 16, injuring 150 personnel and destroying 10 pieces of equipment. Ukrainian Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov stated that Russian forces are placing dragon’s teeth anti-tank defenses in Melitopol.