Victory Chronicles-DAY 594

The Ukrainian military has partially succeeded in consolidating their positions in  Andriivka, south of Bakhmut. “On the Bakhmut front, Ukrainian fighters repelled four enemy attacks near Klishchiivka, Donetsk Oblast. In turn, the Defense Forces continue their assault operations south of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast. They have had partial success in Andriivka in Donetsk Oblast, inflicting losses in manpower and equipment on the enemy and consolidating their position,s” reportedthe  General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In the area of responsibility of the Tavriia Group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces of troops on the Avdiivka and Marinka fronts, Russia carried out more than 15 unsuccessful attacks in the areas of Marinka and Novomykhailivka, Donetsk Oblast.

The Russians attacked Ukraine with 36 Shaheds on the night of 9-10 October, with 27 shot down. “On the night of 9-10 October, Russian occupation forces attacked the south of Ukraine with 36 Shahed attack UAVs. The launches were carried out from Cape Chauda (temporarily occupied Crimea)” reported the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is reported that 27 Russian drones were destroyed within Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kherson Oblasts.

The Public Relations Service of the Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky Separate Presidential Brigade demonstrated the work of FPV drone operators. “They came in quickly, worked hard, and disappeared just as quickly. This is a unique war of the 21st century – a combination of trench warfare with unmanned vehicles, Western military equipment and Ukrainian home-made machines. The pilots of the 4th Mechanized Battalion of the Presidential Brigade’s attack drones are practicing their speed and coordination,” reported Public Relations Service.

Company of Achilles unmanned aerial vehicle systems (UAVs) of the 92nd Separate Specialized Brigade named after Ataman Ivan Sirko destroyed 7 units of enemy vehicles with FPV drones in the Bakhmut sector.

Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations and reportedly advanced in western Zaporizhia Oblast and near Bakhmut on October 9 amid reports of deteriorating weather conditions in Ukraine. 

The Ukrainian General Staff and Ukrainian Tavriisk Group of Forces Spokesperson Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun reported that Ukrainian forces achieved partial success west of Verbove (18km southeast of Orikhiv), and near Klishchiivka (5km southwest of Bakhmut) and Andriivka (10km southwest of Bakhmut).

Russian milbloggers claimed that rainfall has worsened visibility in southern Ukraine, hindering Russian and Ukrainian reconnaissance drone operations. One Russian milblogger claimed that the ground has become muddy and obstructs tracked vehicle movement, though another milblogger claimed that the ground has not yet become muddy enough to inhibit vehicle movement.

Exact conditions likely vary along the frontline, though weather conditions are generally worsening. Ukrainian Eastern Group of Forces Spokesperson Captain Ilya Yevlash reported that Russian forces are relying less heavily on aviation and drone activity in the Kupyansk-Lyman direction due to heavy rainfall.

Senior defender Danylo Zvonariov, with the call sign Yanyk, died on July 23, 2023, in a battle near the town of Mariinka, Donetsk Oblast. The warrior’s life was cut short by enemy artillery fire. On July 15, the defender turned 25 years old.

Danylo was born in the village of Chornobaivka, Kherson Oblast. He received his education, lived and worked there. In civilian life, he was a sales representative. He was fond of cars and everything related to them. He loved listening to music and singing along to it.

During the full-scale war, in April 2022, he took his family out of the occupation, and in August, he received a call-up notice to join the Armed Forces. Later, Danylo joined the 79th separate airborne assault brigade. He held the position of senior sapper. He asked to be transferred to Donetsk or Kherson Oblast. That’s how he ended up near Marinka.

“Danylo fulfilled absolutely all the tasks set by his superiors, and each one was completed successfully. He went on assaults and came back alive. He saved the lives of many of his fellow fighters, saved everyone he could, both living and dead. He always said: “What is the family without them?”. For him, defending our country was above all else, and he was always a good support for his comrades. If he went on a mission, everyone wanted to go with him. He was like an iron dome for them. When he received an offer to go to Poland to study to become an instructor, he refused. He believed that he should be on the battlefield, defending our country, being with his brothers-in-arms and destroying the enemy,” wrote his sister Iryna Katsan.

“He was an incredibly cheerful and sincere guy, with whom any company was doomed to a fun evening. He always came to the rescue, his priorities were always family and friends. He was very fond of animals and took care of them even at the front line. For me, Dania will always remain a brave and radiant boy who fought for us until the last minute,” added Oleksandra Ryzhenko, a friend of the deceased. The paratrooper was buried at the Chornobaiv cemetery. Danylo is survived by his parents, sister, other relatives, many friends and fighters-in-arms.

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