Victory Chronicles-DAY 635

The Defense Forces are holding their positions on the left bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast and continue striking the Russians. Over the past day, the Russians carried out 16 air strikes and opened fire 41 times using missile systems. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this. 

The occupiers also attacked critical infrastructure facilities using attack drones. The air defense forces managed to destroy 15 out of 20 such UAVs. There are civilian casualties and damage to residential buildings and infrastructure. The operational situation in the east and south of Ukraine remains difficult, with the enemy maintaining a military presence and conducting sabotage and reconnaissance activities. Artillery and mortar shelling of several settlements took place, causing destruction. 

The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled numerous attacks in various directions and continue to conduct offensive operations, inflicting losses on the enemy. Defense forces also conducted air and missile strikes on enemy concentrations and ammunition depots. The situation remains tense; the fighting does not stop, necessitating the continuation of defensive and offensive actions.

The bodies or remains of 94 Ukrainian defenders have been returned to Ukrainian government-controlled territory. The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, in collaboration with various Ukrainian government departments and the International Committee of the Red Cross, facilitated the return. The event was carried out following International Humanitarian Law, which mandates the repatriation of bodies of combatants killed in connection with armed aggression. The Armed Forces of Ukraine will be responsible for transporting the bodies to specialized institutions where law enforcement officials and forensic experts will identify the victims. 

The Public Affairs Service of the 808th separate support regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has released a photo report showcasing the work of pontooners, who are military engineers responsible for conquering water obstacles. These fighters-engineers play a crucial role in ensuring the safe passage of defense forces across water obstacles that cannot be crossed alone. The unit’s expertise, unity, and precision in managing such operations, gained through combat missions, are continuously improved during training sessions.

The Ukrainian Air Force Command has released a video showing Ukrainian MiG-29 and Su-27 aircraft performing combat missions. The Center for Strategic Communications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this.

Ukrainian and Russian forces are continuing combat operations in eastern and southern Ukraine, although the rainy weather will likely continue to slow the pace of combat operations until winter conditions fully set in. 

A Russian milblogger claimed that Ukrainian forces continue to defend against a strong group of Russian forces attacking near Avdiivka and that Ukrainian forces maintain the initiative in southern Ukraine. The milblogger added that it is premature to declare any Russian victories to avoid creating any false impressions about the situation on the battlefield. Another Russian milblogger observed that poor weather is impeding the use of armored vehicles in western Zaporizhia Oblast but that Ukrainian forces are still attacking Russian positions with infantry units.

The United Kingdom (UK) Ministry of Defense (MoD) assessed on November 18 that neither side has achieved any substantial progress in the Kupyansk and Avdiivka directions, or in east (left) bank Kherson Oblast — where the most intense battles are ongoing. The UK MoD added that there are fewer immediate prospects of major changes on the frontlines as colder winter weather begins to set in. Ukrainian military officials anticipate that Russia will launch a third wave of assaults on Avdiivka. Freezing weather conditions during the winter will likely prompt the resumption of more active combat operations, and ongoing rainy weather is unlikely to halt Ukrainian or Russian attacks.

Taras Chvartatskyi, a 22-year-old fighter, tragically lost his life while on a combat mission near Kreminna, Luhansk Oblast. Born in Yarmolyntsi, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Taras had a strong interest in military affairs, science, and his Ukrainian heritage. He worked various jobs, including at a car wash, and even attempted to join the French Foreign Legion before ultimately volunteering for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in February 2022. After serving in the TRO, he joined the 12th Azov Special Forces Brigade in the National Guard of Ukraine. Taras was known for his strong beliefs and willingness to fight for what he believed in. His friends and community remember him as an ideological, compassionate, and trustworthy individual. 

“I have never met a more ideological person than our Taras. From a young age, he formed a national position and was inspired by the thorny history of Ukraine. He often said that he would die like a warrior, and it breaks my heart that his words came true. He was a good man, he knew how to love sincerely. Taras called me his soul, and I call him the soul of Ukraine. Now he is forever in the service,” said Victoria, a close friend of the deceased. Taras’s funeral took place in his hometown, where his grieving mother, family, and friends awaited his return.

• Ukrainian Air Force: F-16 jets will turn the tide of war 
• NBC: Congressional leaders want to pass military aid for Ukraine, Israel before Christmas.
• Military sappers neutralize almost 3,000 explosives in past week
• Official: Ukraine destroys over 700 units of Russian military equipment, 7,000 troops in past week
• UK intelligence: Russia likely to bring Soviet-era M-55 aircraft back into service
• Ukraine’s defense intelligence confirms two Russian radars hit in Kursk region