July 17, 2023

Russian Ministry of Defense: up to 695 Ukrainian troops killed in 24 hours

Russian Defense Ministry

The AFU continued unsuccessful attempts at offensive actions in Donetsk and Krasny Liman directions.

In Donetsk direction, as a result of coordinated and courageous actions by units of the Yug Group of Forces, aviation and artillery, 13 enemy attacks have been successfully repelled close to Berestovoye, Belogorovka, Kurdyumovka, Pervomaiskoye and Maryinka (Donetsk People’s Republic).

▫️In addition, ammunition depots of the Liman Operational-Tactical Group, the 53rd Mechanised Brigade and the 25th Airborne Brigade of the AFU have been destroyed close to Novoyegorovka (Lugansk People’s Republic), Kramatorsk and Vodyanoye (Donetsk People’s Republic).

▫️The enemy losses were up to 320 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 armoured fighting vehicles, 3 motor vehicles, 1 U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system, 1 Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled artillery system, 1Msta-B howitzer, 2Rapira anti-tank guns, and 1 U.S.-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station.

In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces, aviation, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems launched attacks on AFU units near Chervonopopovka (Lugansk People’s Republic), Terny, Yampolovka and Grigorovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).

2 enemy attacks have been repelled close to Chervonaya Dibrova and Karmazinovka (Lugansk People’s Republic).

▫️The activities of 2Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups have been disrupted close to Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People’s Republic). 

▫️The enemy losses were up to 60 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 armoured fighting vehicles, 4 motor vehicles, 1 U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system, and 1D-30 howitzer.

In South Donetsk direction, as a result of active actions by Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, and artillery of the Vostok Group of Forces, AFU manpower and hardware have been defeated close to Urozhaynoye and Levadnoye (Zaporozhye region).

In Zaporozhye direction, as a result of coordinated actions by Russian troops, enemy manpower and hardware concentration areas have been hit close to Marfopol, Novosyolovka, Shcherbaki and Pyatikhatki (Zaporozhye region).

▫️In addition, the actions of one Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group have been disrupted close to Charivnoye (Zaporozhye region).

▫️The enemy losses were up to 240 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 armoured fighting vehicles, 2 motor vehicles, 1 U.S.-manufactured M109Paladin self-propelled artillery system, 3Msta-B howitzers, 1Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, and 1D-30 howitzer.

1ammunition depot of the AFU 33th Mechanised Brigade has been destroyed near Malaya Tokmachka (Zaporozhye region).

In Kupyansk direction, as a result of active action by units, aviation, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems of the Zapad Group of Forces, AFU units have been hit close to Novosyolovskoye and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People’s Republic), Sinkovka and Ivanovka (Kharkov region).

▫️The enemy losses were up to 35 Ukrainian servicemen, 4 armoured fighting vehicles, 2 motor vehicles, 1D-20 howitzer, and 1Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system.

In Kherson direction, the enemy losses were up to 40 Ukrainian servicemen, 8 motor vehicles, 1Verba multiple-launch rocket system and 1Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised 73 AFU artillery units at their firing positions, manpower and hardware in 68 areas.

1fuel depot for the military hardware of the Liman Operational-Tactical Group has been destroyed near Kramatorsk (Donetsk People’s Republic).

Air defence facilities have intercepted 3Storm Shadow cruise missiles and 3HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system projectiles.

▫️In addition, 19 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been destroyed close to Zaliman, Ploshchanka, Shipilovka (Lugansk People’s Republic), Vodyanoye, Nikolskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic), Removka, Lyubimovka (Zaporozhye region) and Korsunka (Kherson region).

In total,455 airplanes, 242 helicopters, 5,047 unmanned aerial vehicles, 426 air defence missile systems, 10,731 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,139 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 5,487 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 11,717 special military motor vehicles 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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