(Image by NEIVANMADE)
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump:
We will do everything possible and impossible to strengthen our warriors – address by the President of Ukraine
13 March 2023 – 21:42
Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!
A brief report of the day.
I held important coordination meetings. The Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, our international experts, and the Office’s domestic political bloc. We agreed on a course of action for the coming weeks.
In particular, the government has approved and proposes to the Verkhovna Rada to adopt amendments to the state budget, with more than half a trillion hryvnias allocated for defense additionally. All funds will be used to provide financial support to the military, to support our defense sector, and to buy defense equipment, including drones. We will do everything possible and impossible to strengthen our warriors.
Today we also discussed humanitarian demining, something that is vital, literally.
As of now, more than 170,000 square kilometers of our territory remain dangerous because of enemy mines and unexploded ordnance. A significant part of this territory is the land of our farmers, the land that has been cultivated. So today we discussed how to intensify this work: to speed up humanitarian demining and increase cooperation with partners.
We discussed how to support our farmers. The second sowing season has already started during the full-scale war. Last year, the heroic efforts of our farmers and all workers in the agricultural sector made it possible to preserve Ukrainian agricultural production and Ukraine’s global role as a guarantor of food security. And I thank everyone who contributed to this. The government is working on appropriate steps to support the industry.
We also discussed the situation in the energy sector, which has been normalized. In fact, we are meeting the energy needs of Ukrainians throughout the entire free territory of the state, in accordance with the generation capabilities. We continue to prepare for the next heating season, both in terms of accumulating resources and protecting our energy facilities.
The coming weeks are planned to be quite active in terms of international communication. Both in order to strengthen our defense and to strengthen Ukraine’s position in the fight for justice, that is, in the fight to punish Russian murderers. We are preparing news.
We are also working to add new sanctions against Russia. Recently, Canada took a significant step by expanding sanctions on imports of Russian aluminum and steel. I thank Canada for this decision – for this signal to the international community.
We must not only limit the capability of the terrorist state to circumvent existing sanctions, but also impose new ones to prevent Russia from adapting to global pressure. The less Russia’s ability to adapt to sanctions, the sooner we can restore the territorial integrity of our country and return peace to Ukraine.
And, of course, our defense forces. Our soldiers and global pressure on Russia are the only effective guarantee of protecting the freedom of Ukraine, Europe, and the free world.
As always, today I was in touch with our commanders and intelligence.
It is very tough in the east, very painful. We need to destroy the enemy’s military might, and we will. Bilohorivka and Maryinka, Avdiivka and Bakhmut, Vuhledar and Kamyanka – and all other places where our future is being decided. Where our future, the future of all Ukrainians, is being fought for.
I am grateful to each and every one who is now in combat! Thank you to everyone who defends their positions and fights for Ukraine and brothers-in-arms! Thank you to everyone who never lets down those who are next to them on the frontline!
Today, I would like to commend the warriors of the 92nd separate mechanized brigade for their successful actions in the area of Bakhmut. Thank you, guys!
Glory to all Ukrainian warriors!
Glory to our unbreakable and beautiful people!
Glory to Ukraine!
Here is a machine translation of this afternoon’s operational update from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense as posted on their Telegram channel:
‼️Operational information as of 18.00 on 13.03.2023 regarding the Russian invasion
▪️The Russian aggressor continues to focus his main efforts on conducting offensive actions in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiiv, Marin and Shakhtar directions and does not stop trying to enter the administrative border of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
▪️During the day, the enemy launched 29 air strikes and 6 missile strikes. In particular, at the vocational-agrarian lyceum of Znob-Novgorodskoe settlement, Sumy region. 1 civilian was killed, 5 more civilians were injured. Russian occupiers also hit a school in Avdiivka in Donetsk region with two rockets, killing a local resident. In addition, the enemy launched more than 10 attacks from rocket salvo systems.
▪️On the Kupyansk and Lymansk directions, the enemy is making attempts to break through the defense of our troops. He led unsuccessful offensives in the direction of Hryanikyvka, Masyutivka, Nevsky, Serebryansk Forestry, Bilogorivka, and Verkhnokamyanka. He carried out artillery shelling of the areas of Hryanivikka, Kup’yansk and Krokhmalne settlements in the Kharkiv region and Makiivka, Dibrova and Bilogorivka in the Luhansk region.
▪️In the direction of Bakhmut, the enemy does not stop trying to capture the city of Bakhmut. Enemy attacks were repulsed in the areas of Orihovo-Vasylivka, Hryhorivka, Chasiv Yar, Ivanovske settlements, battles continue in Bakhmut. In particular, Bondarne, Vasyukivka, Dubovo-Vasylivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Bila Gora, Kostyantynivka and Zalizne of the Donetsk region came under enemy fire.
▪️On the Avdiivskyi, Maryinskyi, and Shakhtarskyi directions, the enemy carried out unsuccessful offensive actions in the direction of Kamianka, Avdiivka, Severnyi, Pervomayskyi, and Maryinka. Areas of more than 10 settlements near the contact line were hit by enemy shelling. Among them are Kamianka, Avdiivka, Krasnohorivka, Marinka, Georgiivka and Vugledar of the Donetsk region.
✅The enemy continues to suffer losses. Thus, 150 mercenaries of the so-called “Wagner” PMC were brought to the territory of the Bilovodsk district hospital in the temporarily occupied territory of the Luhansk region for treatment.
▪️In the city of Energodar, temporarily captured by Russia, at the Zaporizhzhya NPP, the shortage of skilled workers who can ensure the vital activity of the nuclear power plant is growing catastrophically. After the Russian occupiers employed people without the appropriate education and experience at the NPP,
the contract term of the Russian representatives of “Rosatom” expired. At the same time, they were refused to sign a new or extend an existing contract. They also refused to return to Russia, since there is no one in particular to work at the NPP. All this can lead to unpredictable consequences.✈️During the day, the Aviation of the Defense Forces of Ukraine carried out 10 strikes on areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment of the occupiers.
support🇺🇦Armed forces! Together we will win!
Glory to Ukraine!🇺🇦🇺🇦General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Here is former NAVDEVGRU Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer’s most recent assessment of the situations in Kreminna and Bakhmut (newest of the two Bakhmut ones first):
KREMINNA AXIS /1530 UTC 13 MAR/ RU resumed offensive operations across the P-66 HWY with an unsuccessful probe at Nevske. UKR forces are again in contact in the urban area of Kreminna. RU conducted fire missions against Makiivka and Nevske. RU forces repelled NE of Bilohorvika. pic.twitter.com/74Jyvg0DAP
— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) March 13, 2023
BAKHMUT/ 2245 UTC 13 MAR/ N of Soledar, UKR forces repelled attacks at Vasiukivka. On the M-03 HWY axis, RU assaults were broken up at Minkivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka and Hyrhorivka & Berkhivka. The 0600 Gen’l Staff brief provided no follow up regarding UKR contact at Krasna Hora. pic.twitter.com/yBjpJVsKSM
— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) March 13, 2023
BAKHMUT AXIS /1145 UTC 13 MAR/ RU /Wagner troops have renewed offensive actions. N of Soledar, UKR forces repelled attacks at Vasiukivka. On the M-03 HWY axis, RU assaults were broken up at Minkivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Hyrhorivka and Berkhivka. pic.twitter.com/O9vzBBqA2c
— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) March 13, 2023
Bakhmut:
The Kyiv Independent has more details on Bakhmut:
Fierce fighting rages over central Bakhmut as Russia’s Wagner mercenaries try to break through Ukrainian defenses in the ruined city, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said on March 13.
Syrskyi, who commands Ukraine’s Ground Forces and made two known visits to Bakhmut in recent weeks, acknowledged that the situation in the embattled city remained difficult as Russia continued to press forward.
The commander said that the Wagner members were storming into central Bakhmut from multiple fronts, but Ukraine still held on to the “fortress” while inflicting “significant losses” on the invading forces.
“All enemy attempts to capture the city are repelled by artillery, tanks, and other firepower,” Syrskyi said, as quoted by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s media center.
Syrskyi’s statement comes amid an eight-month-long battle over Bakhmut, a largely destroyed city nearly emptied of its 70,000 residents. Russia has intensified its offensive on Bakhmut in recent weeks as it captured neighboring settlements, inching its way into encircling the city.
Late on March 12, Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a Telegram post that his mercenaries began storming into the underground compound of the Artemivskyi non-ferrous metal processing plant, also known as AZOM, in northern Bakhmut.
Neither Ukraine nor Russia officially commented on the situation at the plant on March 13.
Serhiy Cherevatyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Eastern Military Command, said on March 11 that Ukraine seeks to degrade Wagner forces during its defense of Bakhmut.
He added that Ukraine has already “thinned out” the second formation of Wagner’s recruited prisoners over the winter, and Ukraine has “a real chance” of degrading Wagner if it keeps up the pace.
As fierce battles raged in the east and south of Ukraine, civilian casualties continued to be reported.
The President’s Office said on March 13 that Russian troops launched two missiles at a school in Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, killing a woman.
To the northeast, the Russians launched a missile strike on the village of Znob-Novhorodske in Sumy Oblast, killing at least one and wounding four, according to the President’s Office.
On the southern front, the Russians fired upon energy workers in a liberated area of Kherson Oblast, wounding one person, the regional military administration said.
More at the link.
Here’s Colonel-General Syrskyi’s full remarks machine translated from Ukraine’s Military Media Center’s Telegram channel:
Commander of the Land Forces Colonel-General Alexander Sirsky:
The situation around Bakhmut remains difficult.
Wagner’s assault units come from several directions, trying to break through the defenses of our troops and move to the central ones
districts of the city.During fierce battles, our defenders inflict significant losses on the enemy. Fire artillery, tanks, other fire extinguishers repel all attempts by the enemy to capture the city.
The defense of the fortress continues!
And here is more machine translation of Colonel-General Syrskyi’s thoughts on the situation in Bakhmut from his own Telegram channel:
Bakhmut Front.
Defense is an organization of action that builds on the strategy, discipline, and trust of personnel.
Its success depends on the intelligence and cunning of each commander.
We must be able to anticipate the actions of an enemy who has a quantitative advantage.
Bakhmut’s defense has been going on for 7 months. The Defense Forces have taken a number of tactical actions that have not yet allowed the enemy to take the city into an operational environment. But the situation remains very difficult.
Russian forces act by the usual methods, do not count people. But the number of soldiers is not a decisive advantage or a factor in victory.
We understand the tactical importance of Bakhmut for the enemy and know his plans for action in other parts of the front.
Defense forces now continue to defend the city. The situation is dynamic. Here, every move and decision can radically change it. Every day has the highest value.
I am proud of the staff. I appreciate the speed of thinking of the brigade commanders next to whom I am.
Honor!
Kharkiv:
Do not make this cat angry. More of @LBWSCAT on the streets of Kharkiv. pic.twitter.com/H0OZnrnHdm
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) March 13, 2023
The Ukrainian officer who tweets as Tatarigami and has been posting regular(ish) updates from Vuhledar has something important for us to keep in mind:
🇺🇦OPINION:
Although my views may differ from those of some government officials, I'd like to express some cautionary thoughts regarding the upcoming offensive.
While I remain hopeful and committed to achieving victory, I believe it's important to temper our expectations and… https://t.co/drYlIzUEFV
— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) March 13, 2023
Here’s the text of the whole tweet:
OPINION: Although my views may differ from those of some government officials, I’d like to express some cautionary thoughts regarding the upcoming offensive. While I remain hopeful and committed to achieving victory, I believe it’s important to temper our expectations and avoid the assumption that the war will end quickly as a result of one counter-offensive. A realistic approach that takes into account the challenges that we might face. Even though Ukraine has received substantial support from the West, it’s still only enough to sustain few large offensives. Even if Ukraine successfully clears the entire southern region, it won’t necessarily resolve the ongoing issues with Donbas or Crimea. The fall of one area doesn’t guarantee the fall of the other. It’s important to recognize that the Russian forces are actively preparing for the upcoming counter-offensive, and we shouldn’t underestimate their capabilities. Rather than making optimistic statements about how the war will end soon, it’s more realistic to be prepared for a potentially prolonged conflict. We should also communicate this to our allies, so they can adjust their expectations and support accordingly. While I remain hopeful and committed to achieving victory, I believe it’s important to temper our expectations and avoid the assumption that the war will end quickly as a result of this counter-offensive. Everyone in Ukraine is grateful for the support we receive from the West, including from both governments and society, but I believe that we need much more to finish this war. This goes beyond just the provision of ammunition and military equipment, as important as those are. In addition to expanding training programs, we must prioritize efforts to improve our command and control structure. This includes sending our reserve officers to the best military schools to enhance their skills. We need to focus not just on improving the command abilities of NCOs and junior officers, but also those at the brigade level and above. I plan to release a breakdown of the analysis made by Lieutenant Colonel Glen Grant in his article on the necessary changes for our army to remain modern and successful. Finally, I would rather hear that the war has ended sooner than expected, even if it means admitting that my previous predictions were incorrect, than to hear that my advice could have made a difference if only it had been heeded earlier.
Russia bombarded Ukraine again today:
Current threats:
Tu-95 bombers over Caspian Sea, signs of possible missile launch;
Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers have taken off from Engels-2 air base, Saratov Oblast, Russia;
Four MiG-31K fighter/bombers, possibly with Kinzhal supersonic missiles, in air over Bryansk Oblast, Russia.— Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) March 13, 2023
"As of now, there is a significant concentration of Russian aviation in the temporarily occupied territories and near our border. In total, there are 22 Su-27/35 aircraft and 6 reconnaissance UAVs!" – Ukrainian Telegram channels.
— Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) March 13, 2023
Air alert in Kyiv city declared over – duration 35 minutes. Alerts in other areas of country still in place, warning of possible missile threat to Zaporizhzhya. pic.twitter.com/BZ4GvT3tkt
— Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) March 13, 2023
Missile launches said to have been imitated, false targets. Explosions in Sumy may have been air defenses shooting down drones headed for Kyiv – no confirmation yet.
— Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) March 13, 2023
General Zaluzhnyi has the butcher’s bill:
This night the enemy carried out a massive missile attack on the critical infrastructure of Ukraine. The Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed 34 cruise missiles out of 48 X-101/X-555 cruise missiles, Kalibr, as well as 4 Shahed-136/131 unmanned aerial vehicles. pic.twitter.com/UsFKYXvo7z
— Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (@CinC_AFU) March 9, 2023
Two beautiful children, a secure basement, and the ability to quickly forget – what else is needed to survive months of shelling in a frontline city? This time it's Mykolaiv in "Language Matters", the 7th episode of the "Kids of Bomb Shelters" series by @ulybinyulian
1/3 pic.twitter.com/k2MbmuyLM9— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 13, 2023
It’s not only the soil speckled with millions of craters, not only the cities turned into brick and concrete dust that the war leaves behind. It is also broken destinies, scars on human souls in the 7th episode of the "Kids of Bomb Shelters" series by @ulybinyulian
2/3 pic.twitter.com/QgbgfJvN13— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 13, 2023
Another page in the multi-series chronicles of war-mutilated souls in the 7th episode of the "Kids of Bomb Shelters" series by @ulybinyulian
3/3 pic.twitter.com/9Ao0kE0qcj— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 13, 2023
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
A new video from Patron’s official TikTok! Though I think they’ve recycled the voice over.
@patron__dsns Відео про сон вам дуже сподобалось, тому ловіть ще такий варіант😂
The caption machine translates as:
You really liked the video about sleep, so catch another version like this 😂
Open thread!
War for Ukraine Day 382: It’s Monday, Right?Post + Comments (39)