January 17, 2024

Russian Ministry of Defense: up to 655 Ukrainian troops killed or wounded in the past 24 hours

Russian Defense Ministry

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. 

▫️In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces supported by artillery repelled one attack launched by an assault detachment of the AFU 95th Air Assault Brigade near Terni (Kharkov region). 

The AFU losses amounted to up to 30 Ukrainian troops, two armoured personnel carriers, and three motor vehicles. 

▫️In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces supported by artillery repelled three attacks launched by assault detachments of the 5th Ukrainian National Guard Brigade, 25th Airborne Brigade, and 63rd Mechanised Brigade near Yampolovka (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People’s Republic).  

Enemy manpower was struck near Grigorovka (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Serebryansky forestry

The AFU losses amounted to up to 210 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer. 

▫️In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces supported by artillery repelled six attacks launched by units of the AFU 81st Airmobile Brigade, 22nd and 24th mechanised brigades near Belogorovka, Krasnoye, and Bogdanovka (Donetsk People’s Republic). 

In addition, manpower and hardware of the AFU 22nd, 28th, and 42nd mechanised brigades was struck near Kleschcheyevka, Kurdyumovka, and Andreyevka (Donetsk People’s Republic). 

The AFU losses amounted to up to 290 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two infantry fighting vehicles, five armoured fighting vehicles, 12 motor vehicles, two D-30 howitzers, and one Pion self-propelled artillery piece. 

▫️In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery inflicted losses on units of the AFU 72nd Mechanised Brigade, 79th Air Assault Brigade, and 127th Territorial Defence Brigade near Novomikhailovka, Paraskoviyevka (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region). 

The AFU losses amounted to up to 75 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, one D-20 howitzer, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system. 

▫️In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by artillery and aviation inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 65th Mechanised Brigade, 128th Mountain Assault Brigade, 82th Air Assault Brigade, and 15th Ukrainian National Guard Brigade near Verbovoye, Kamenskoye, Rabotino, and Mirnoye (Zaporozhye region). 

The AFU losses amounted to up to 25 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer. 

▫️In Kherson direction, as a result of strikes of the 35th and 37th marines brigades near Tyaginka and Ivanovka (Kherson region), the AFU losses amounted to up to 25 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, and two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems. 

Missile Troops and Artillery, and unmanned aerial vehicles of the Groups of Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation wiped out one POL base for AFU hardware, three ammunition depots of the AFU 23rd Mechanised Brigade, P-18 and Nebo-SV radar stations for detecting and tracking air targets, one temporary deployment area of foreign mercenaries103 artillery units in firing positions, as well as engaged manpower and military hardware in 119 areas.  

Air defence units intercepted 11 Olkha and Czech-made Vampire MLRS projectiles over the past 24 hours. Moreover, 21 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down near ZolotaryovkaBelogorovka (Lugansk People’s Republic), Novonikolayevka, Gorlovka, and Peski (Donetsk People’s Republic).

▫️ In total, 567 airplanes and 265 helicopters, 10,779 unmanned aerial vehicles, 450 air defence missile systems, 14,658 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,202 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,759 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 17,560 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

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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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Organizations like Refugees International play a crucial role in this arena, advocating for the rights and needs of the displaced, conducting on-the-ground assessments, and influencing policymakers to take informed actions. Their relentless work underscores the gravity of the situation and the urgency ofinternational cooperation. But they, too, are overwhelmed by the rapid expansion of the crisis.

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
inconsistent. This initiative emphasizes the importance of upholding and reinforcing these international standards.

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