Victory Chronicles-DAY 603

In the past ten days, Ukrainian defenders have shot down five planes in Donetsk Oblast. “In the area of responsibility of the Tavria OSU, the enemy keeps trying to encircle Avdiivka with support from aviation. Our fighters repelled three enemy attacks and shot down another enemy Su-25 attack aircraft. This is the fifth plane shot down over Donetsk Oblast over the past ten days.” reported the Joint press center of the Tavria Operational Strategic Group.

According to a Ukrainska Pravda source in military circles, the Su-25 aircraft, now included in the General Staff’s report on Russian losses, was shot down by Ukrainian defenders on the Avdiivka front on the morning of 18 October.

Top congressional lawmakers are beginning to receive details of a new funding package the Biden administration is expected to submit to Congress this week. While it’s not yet finalized, the supplemental funding package is likely to seek $60 billion for Ukraine, a lawmaker and two sources with knowledge of the request said. The rest of the request will include roughly $40 billion to provide aid to Israel, Taiwan, and the U.S.-Mexico border.

The total supplemental funding request, which is expected for the fiscal year ending next September, will total around $100 billion, said four sources directly involved in the process.

Russia loses over 50 units of military equipment near village in Avdiivka district. The Russians have lost at least 63 units of military equipment near the village of Krasnohorivka on the Avdiivka front. “The analysis of changes in the satellite images confirmed the Russians’ loss of over 60 units of military equipment. Almost all these units were destroyed near the settlement of Krasnohorivka and at its entrance,” reported Deepstate regarding satellite images.

Deepstate remarks that it is hard to estimate the losses of the Russian personnel, yet only in this area, according to its information, the number of killed Russian soldiers “is measured in hundreds”.

The third assault brigade drives out the occupiers from a stronghold near Bakhmut. UAV footage. The attack aircraft approached the enemy’s positions and carried out a series of powerful explosions right in the enemy’s holes from a risky distance. Through explosions in the pipes with the Russians – the work of desperate fighters of the 3rd company of the 1st assault battalion of the brigade.

Russian sources claimed that likely company-sized elements of two Ukrainian naval infantry brigades conducted an assault across the Dnipro River onto the east (left) bank of Kherson Oblast on October 17-18. 

Geolocated footage published on October 18 indicates that Ukrainian forces advanced north of Pishchanivka (14km east of Kherson City and 3km from the Dnipro River) and into Poyma (11km east of Kherson City and 4km from the Dnipro River). A prominent Russian milblogger claimed that two Ukrainian “assault groups” landed on the east bank of the Dnipro River and broke through initial Russian defenses, temporarily occupying all of Poyma and positions on the northern outskirts of Pishchanivka on the afternoon of October 17.

The milblogger later claimed that Russian forces pushed Ukrainian forces back from these positions towards the Dnipro River. The milblogger claimed that a Ukrainian sabotage group is still operating in Pishchanivka as of the afternoon of October 18. The milblogger, however, suggested that Russian forces only maintain positions on the southern outskirts of the settlement. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) also acknowledged the Ukrainian operations, claiming that Russian forces stopped four Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups near Pidstepne (16km east of Kherson City) and Poyma. Another prominent Russian milblogger also claimed that Ukrainian forces occupied Poyma on the night of October 17 to 18.

ISW will not speculate on the scope and prospects of ongoing Ukrainian activity on the east bank of Kherson Oblast but does not assess that Ukrainian forces have created a bridgehead on the east bank of Kherson Oblast suitable for the further maneuver of sizeable mechanized forces at this time. However, it is noteworthy that prominent and generally reliable Russian sources are discussing Ukrainian activities on the east bank as occurring at a larger scale than previously documented tactical cross-river raids by Ukrainian forces. ISW will continue to monitor the area closely and assess control of terrain changes and Russian responses, in line with its standing policy of not forecasting Ukrainian actions.

Senior fighter Mykola Kharchenko died on July 31, 2023, while performing a combat mission near the village of Robotyno, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The defender was 41 years old.

Mykola was born in the village of Maryanivka, Poltava Oblast. In 2000, he graduated from the Anton Makarenko Kremenchuk Pedagogical College, specializing in primary school and computer science. He lived in Kyiv. He worked as a teacher at the Maxym Rylsky School in Kyiv. He served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kharkiv Oblast. After completing his service, he worked as a security guard for the Kyiv Metro, at the Darnytsia Police Department, and then as a construction worker.

When the full-scale war began, the man volunteered for the territorial defense of Poltava. He fought near Bakhmut, was wounded, but returned to duty. Later he served in the 3rd Operational Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. He was a machine gunner of the operational platoon of the 2nd operational company (on armored personnel carriers) of the 4th operational battalion.

“He was the best person for me. Gentle, loving, beloved and sincere,” said Vira, the deceased’s wife. “Heavenly kingdom to the godson, eternal and bright memory to the Hero, rest in peace. My sincere condolences to the family and parents,” Volodymyr Sagan wrote. The National Guard was buried in his native village in Poltava Oblast. Mykola is survived by his parents, wife, sister, brothers and nephews. 

• Politico: Sweden edges closer to sending Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine 
• General Staff indirectly confirms advance of marines to eastern bank of Dnipro River
• Russians launch 8 missiles and 9 Shahed drones over Ukraine: 3 drones and missile downed
• Rescue operation in Zaporizhzhia complete: 5 killed, 5 injured
• UK intelligence: Kerch bridge will still operate in limited mode after repair
• Explosions reported in Sevastopol near Russian ammo depots