October 17, 2023

Ukrainian General Staff:  Ukraine inflicts 800 Russian combat casualties in 24 hours, destroys 24 Russian tanks and armored personnel carriers

Ukraine Defense Ministry

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 17.10.23 were approximately:

personnel ‒ about 289430 (+800) persons,

tanks ‒ 4979 (+14),

APV ‒ 9405 (+20),

artillery systems – 6936 (+26),

MLRS – 814 (+0),

Anti-aircraft warfare systems ‒ 547 (+0),

aircraft – 318 (+0),

helicopters – 317 (+0),

UAV operational-tactical level – 5291 (+11),

cruise missiles ‒ 1533 (+2),

warships / boats ‒ 20 (+0),

submarines – 1 (+0),

vehicles and fuel tanks – 9293 (+22),

special equipment ‒ 982 (+1).

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine 

Situation update as of 6 p.m., October 17, 2023

Glory to Ukraine! Day 601 of the russian full-scale military aggression against Ukraine continues.

At the beginning of the day, the russian occupants launched yet another missile and air strike on Ukraine, using 1x Kh-59 air-launched cruise missile, S-300 surface-to-air guided missiles and 6x Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs. The Ukrainian air defense forces and means shot down 1x Kh-59 air-launched cruise missile and 6x Shaheds.

During the day of October 17, there were 56x combat engagements. The enemy launched a total of 3x missile and 34x air strikes, 6x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the russian terrorist attacks have killed and wounded civilians. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed or damaged.

The operational situation in east and south of Ukraine remains difficult.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of formation of an offensive group. Certain units of the armed forces of belarus continue their missions in the areas bordering Ukraine.

Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the adversary maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. The enemy continues to shell Ukrainian settlements from the territory of russia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. The occupiers launched an air strike in the vicinity of Mykolaivka (Sumy oblast). The enemy fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Sen’kivka, Tur’ya, Hrem’yach (Chernihiv oblast), Baranivka, Sosnivka, Shalyhyne, Holyshivs’ke, Pokrovka (Sumy oblast).

Kup’yans’k axis: Ukrainian soldiers repelled 12x enemy attacks in the vicinities of Syn’kivka, Kyslivka and Ivanivka (Kharkiv oblast), and 7x more attacks near Nadiya (Luhansk oblast). The enemy fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Krasne Pershe, Syn’kivka, Kyslivka, Petropavlivka, Pishchane (Kharkiv oblast).

Lyman axis: the enemy launched air strikes in the vicinity of Serebryans’ke forestry and Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), the settlements of Vesele and Spirne (Donetsk oblast). The invaders fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Makiivka, Nevs’ke, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Kolodyazi, Bilohorivka, Vesele, Spirne (Donetsk oblast).

Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian soldiers repelled adversary attacks in the vicinity of settlement of Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast). The enemy launched an air strike in the vicinity of New York (Donetsk oblast). More than 15x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Hryhorivka, Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske, Kostyantynivka (Donetsk oblast).

Avdiivka axis: the enemy conducted unsuccessful assault operations with air support in the vicinities of Avdiivka and south of Tonen’ke (Donetsk oblast). The Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 5x attacks of the adversary in that area. The occupiers also launched an air strike near Stepove (Donetsk oblast). The invaders fired artillery and mortars at more than 15x settlements, including Sukha Balka, Keramik, Tonen’ke, Pervomais’ke, Nevel’s’ke (Donetsk oblast).

Mar’inka axis: the enemy conducted unsuccessful assaults with air support in the vicinities of Mar’inka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). The Ukrainian defenders repelled 17x attacks in that area. Around 10x settlements, including Oleksandropil’, Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Pobjeda, Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast), were under artillery and mortar fire of the occupiers.

Shakhtars’ke axis: the Ukrainian defense forces repelled enemy attacks south of Zolota Nyva and south of Prechystivka (Donetsk oblast). The enemy launched air strikes in the vicinities of Urozhaine, Staromaiors’ke, Rivnopil’ (Donetsk oblast). Around 15x settlements, including Vuhledar, Bohoyavlenka, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva, Blahodatne (Donetsk oblast), came under artillery and mortar fire.

Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled all of the enemy attacks west of Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). More than 15x settlements, including Malynivka, Hulyaipole, Charivne, Novodanylivka, Shcherbaky, Kam’yans’ke (Zaporizhzhia oblast), came under enemy artillery and mortar fire.

Kherson axis: the occupiers launched an air strike in the vicinity of Beryslav (Kherson oblast). The enemy fired artillery and mortars at Zolota Balka, Odradokam’yanka, Antonivka, Kizomys (Kherson oblast), the city of Kherson, and Dmytrivka, Ochakiv (Mykolaiv oblast).

At the same time, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue their offensive operation on Melitopol’ axis and offensive (assault) operations on Bakhmut axis, inflicting losses in manpower and equipment on the occupation forces, exhausting the enemy all along the front line.

During the day of October 17, the Ukrainian Air Force launched 15x air strikes on the concentrations of troops, weapons and military equipment, 3x air strikes on anti-air missile systems of the adversary. 

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 5x command posts, 1x concentration of troops, weapons and military equipment, 1x ammunition depot and 1x artillery system of the russian invaders.

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Wilson Center

Forced displacement represents one of the most pressing humanitarian issues of our time. Individuals and families, torn from the fabric of their communities, find themselves navigating a world of uncertainty, often without basic necessities or a clear path to safety. There are currently some 110 million forced displaced, and this number is growing by 10 million each year!

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International Humanitarian Law (IHL), with its core principles centered on the protection of civilians during conflicts, plays a pivotal role in this discourse. Yet, despite clear legal frameworks, compliance remains
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