Victory Chronicles-DAY 574

Defense Intelligence of Ukraine has reported that two Russian aircraft and a helicopter were damaged at the Chkalovsky airbase in Moscow Oblast on 18 September. “A group of the Investigative Committee of Russia is investigating a sabotage operation which resulted in two aircraft and a helicopter being damaged on 18 September 2023. The incident caused major hysteria in the top military command: government planes, the so-called ‘judgement day planes’ and special aircraft (reconnaissance aircraft) are stationed at this airbase” reported Defense Intelligence of Ukraine.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, unknown individuals planted explosives at a thoroughly guarded airbase and blew up an AN-148 and an IL-20 aircraft (both belong to the 354 special purpose air regiment), as well as an MI-28H helicopter which was actively involved in shooting down drones above Moscow Oblast before.

Belarusian state media announced on Sept. 19 that 48 children from Russian-occupied Ukraine have arrived in Belarus. The arrival was described as participation in a “holiday,” and children will reportedly be hosted in the city of Novopolotsk.

The children were removed from Ukraine by a Belarusian charity led by Alexei Talai, who told Beta that “all the Belarusian people” want to help “children from dilapidated cities and towns in the new territories of Russia.” It is unclear if the children are orphans or were transported to Belarus with the consent of their parents. Belarus has denied in the past that it was accepting children taken illegally from Ukraine, though Belarusian opposition figures have reportedly provided the International Criminal Court (ICC) with evidence to the contrary.

Attack on Kupiansk: Number of victims rises to 8. Search and rescue operation is being conducted on the site of the Russian attack in the city of Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast; the bodies of two more victims have been found, and thus, the number of victims rose to eight.

“Search and rescue operation by the emergency services on site of the attack in Kupiansk has finished. Unfortunately, the bodies of two more civilian men were found. At the moment, the total number of victims of the Russian attack on Kupiansk is eight people, six men and two women,” said Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration.

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine has released a video showing the evacuation of wounded civilians in Avdiivka. Avdiivka has been under the enemy’s devastating fire for a long time, with most buildings and structures destroyed. However, people still live there and are often injured as a result of the attacks. Rescuers help to bring the wounded to hospitals. 

Recently, a local resident was seriously injured by shelling. National Police officers provided first aid and handed the victim over to rescuers, who took him to hospital. 

Russian and Ukrainian sources credited superior Ukrainian combat coordination, more precise artillery fire, and stronger electronic warfare (EW) systems for recent Ukrainian advances south of Bakhmut amid continued discussions of significant Russian losses in the area. Ukrainian personnel that participated in the recent liberation of Klishchiivka (7km southeast of Bakhmut) stated on September 18 that high morale, sufficient training, sufficient resources for artillery fire and drone strikes, good coherence between Ukrainian units, and detailed reconnaissance enabled Ukrainian forces to advance.

One Ukrainian commander stated that elements of various Russian units defending in the area suffered from a lack of coherence. Russian Airborne (VDV), Spetsnaz, and 3rd Army Corps elements defended near Klishchiivka; and persistent issues with horizontal integration among Russian forces in Ukraine likely prevented these disparate Russian elements from sharing information and coordinating combat operations. A prominent Russian milblogger claimed that Ukrainian artillery units south of Bakhmut are increasingly accurate and precise, enabling Ukrainian forces to safely shell Russian advances closer to Ukrainian positions. The milblogger claimed that Ukrainian forces have advantages in aerial reconnaissance as well as stronger EW systems.

A Russian milblogger with close ties to the VDV acknowledged that elements of the 83rd Guards VDV Brigade, which were defending near Klishchiivka, are now reconstituting in rear areas and that elements of the 31st Guards VDV Brigade continue to defend near the settlement. Russian milbloggers claimed that elements of the Russian 72nd Motorized Rifle Brigade (3rd Army Corps) are still operating in the Bakhmut area, although Ukrainian forces have likely rendered these elements combat ineffective.

Ukrainian Ground Forces Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi stated on September 18 that Ukrainian forces completely destroyed the combat capabilities of elements of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Brigade, the 31st VDV Brigade, and the 83rd Brigade during the liberation of Andriivka and Klishchiivka. ISW previously assessed that Ukrainian advances in western Zaporizhia Oblast may correspond with the degradation of Russian forces defending in that sector of the front and that recent Ukrainian advances south of Bakhmut may correspond with a similar degradation of Russian forces.

Ukrainian Marine Dmytro Mysan died on June 10, 2023, near the village of Storozheve in Donetsk Oblast. Saving his fellow fighters under enemy artillery fire and received a fatal shrapnel wound. The fighter turned 23 in May.

Dmytro was born in the city of Slavuta, Khmelnytskyi Oblast. He lost his parents at an early age, so his grandmother raised him. He received a degree in electric welding at a vocational school. He was fond of sports and reading books. He dreamed of military service and wanted to become an officer.

During the full-scale Russian invasion, Dmytro fought for his country in the Ukrainian Navy. He served in the 35th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi.

“My brother is the kindest, most sincere and bravest person in the world. He will always come to the rescue. He is the best brother and the best uncle to his nephews,” said Anna Novashok. The marine was buried in his hometown. Dmytro is survived by his sister and three nephews.

• Military intelligence: Russian airbase hit by sabotage attack
• General Staff: Russia has lost 273,980 troops in Ukraine
• UK intelligence reports weakening of Russian positions in Bakhmut
• Explosions near airfield in Crimea: Russians claim to have shot down drones
• Su-34 fighter jet crashes in Russia