Day 667
Articles and Reporting
An article from Task & Purpose telling the story of former United States Marine and Ukrainian International Legion soldier Ethan Hertweck, a combat medic recently killed in the line of duty. Thousands have volunteered to fight for Ukraine from across the globe, and hundreds have been killed.
“Marine veteran killed in Ukraine fought 12 Russians in last stand,” retrieved from Task & Purpose.
Relevant Statistics
All vehicle losses are visually confirmed only and thus represent the lowest possibly figure (sourced from Oryx, here and here); they are updated to the nearest 25 daily. All personnel losses are estimates or projections and should be viewed as such; they are updated as new information becomes available.
Russia
Ukraine
War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity
Russian forces in Ukraine have committed and continue to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied regions of Ukraine, in violation of international law and basic human decency. Russian crimes in Ukraine constitute genocide and ethnic cleansing, with Russia’s stated war aims including the elimination of Ukrainians as a separate country, language, culture, and people.
No especially notable atrocities reported today.
Overview
Russian forces launched another Terror Bombing attack on Mykolaiv, Odesa, and Kyiv, with the vast majority downed by Ukrainian air defenses, though at least one drone slipped through and lightly damaged an apartment building in Kyiv. The results of Russia’s second Terror Bombing campaign have been slim.
Ukraine also estimated that Russia has launched some 7,400 missiles and 3,700 drones through the course of the war. Of these, 1,600 missiles and 2,900 drones were claimed as intercepted, most in the latter half of the war as Russian missile stockpiles began to dwindle and Western air defenses arrived.
Ukraine received a final $1.7 billion aid disbursement from the European Union’s $20 billion 2023 aid provision. Negotiations for al anger $55 billion package are underway, still blocked by Russian-friendly Hungarian Prime Minister Orban. Ukraine also received another suspension of its national debt payments until early 2027.
The Netherlands stated its intention to provide Ukraine with an initial delivery of 18 F-16 aircraft, likely before the end of the year. There are some reports that F-16s have already entered the country, though this seems premature.
The *Wall Street Journal* reported that Russian Security Council Secretary Patrushev was responsible for assassinated Wagner head Prigozhin with Putin’s blessing, using an explosive planted on the wing of the one-time rebellious mercenary captain’s plane. This explanation is plausible.
Regional Military Updates
Note: MilitaryLand maps are two days old.
Northern Theatre
Svatove Front
Limited action. Russian attacks around Synkivka possibly made gains. Fighting reported northwest of Svatove. Russian attacks west of Kreminna possibly made gains.
Bakhmut Front
Limited action. Russian attacks south of Spirne made limited gains. Russian attacks west of Bakhmut made marginal gains. Russian attacks northwest of Klishchiivka made marginal gains. Ukrainian counterattacks east of Klishchiivka repelled.
Southern Theatre
Donetsk Front
Significant action. The Russian Avdiivka Offensive is ongoing. Russian attacks southeast of Novokalynove likely repelled. Russian attacks around Stepove made marginal gains. Russian attacks southeast of Avdiivka likely repelled. Russian attacks south of Avdiivka made marginal gains. Russian attacks around Pervomaiske possibly repelled. Fighting reported around Marinka. Russian attacks on Novomykhailivka possibly made gains.
Velyka Novosilka Front
Limited action. Russian attacks south of Velyka Novosilka repelled.
Zaporizhzhia Front
Limited action. Fighting reported around Verbove. Fighting reported around Robotyne.
Kherson Front [Provisional]
Skirmishing continues to be reported along much of the left bank of the Dnieper River, most especially in and around Krynky.
Daily Conclusion
Ukrainian and Russian sources claimed that three Russian Su-34 fighters were downed on the Kherson Front, with widespread speculation that this was an “ambush” carried out by a Patriot air defense battery, which is reputed to be responsible for an earlier single-day downing of two fighters and two helicopters under similar circumstances.
Previously, many (if not most) of Ukraine’s air defense batteries were deployed in and around its largest cities, tasked with intercepting projectiles from Russia’s Terror Bombing campaign. While it was correctly assumed that Russia would launch a second such campaign this year, the effort thus far has proven anemic and almost wholly unsuccessful.
It is possible that this dearth of attacks is encouraging Ukraine to shift its idle air defense assets towards the front, where Russian air forces remain highly active. This much more aggressive posture could hinder Russian air operations, both reducing its ability to support troops on the ground and to control the skies.
And, perhaps not coincidentally, these claimed downings came just as multiple nations have begun moving to supply Ukraine with more Patriot interceptors and as F-16 aircraft due to arrive. The latter is particularly significant, as these new airframes would not only greatly bolster the Ukrainian Air Force’s flagging numbers but give them access to a wide arsenal of plentiful Western air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions.
The effective and aggressive use of these assets could allow Ukraine to draw Russia into an unfavorable attritional air war or even seriously challenge Russia’s superiority in the air, either of which could have serious battlefield effects if successful.
