ISW

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu stated on August 24 that Russian forces are slowing down the overall pace of their offensive operations in Ukraine while reaffirming that Russia’s objectives in the war have not changed. At a meeting with defense ministers from member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Shoigu stated that Russian troops will be slowing down the pace of offensive operations in Ukraine in a conscious effort to minimize civilian casualties.[1] Shoigu also reiterated that operations in Ukraine are going according to plan and that Russian forces will accomplish all their objectives, supporting ISW’s assessment that Russia’s maximalist strategic war aims in Ukraine have not changed.[2] The Russian MoD has previously issued similar statements to account for the pace of operations in Ukraine.[3]

Key Takeaways

• Russian forces have lost an area larger than Denmark since the high-water mark of their invasion of Ukraine in mid-March and gained an area the size of Andorra (one percent of what they have lost) in the last 39 days. 
• Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu reaffirmed that Russia has not changed its maximalist strategic war aims.
• Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks southwest and southeast of Izyum, northeast, and south of Bakhmut, and west and southwest of Donetsk City.
• Russian forces conducted a limited ground attack in northwestern Kherson Oblast.
• Ukrainian forces continued to target Russian military assets and ground lines of communication (GLOCs) in Kherson and Zaporizhia Oblasts.
• Russian occupation authorities continue to face partisan and internal challenges to the administration of occupation agendas.
• Russian proxy leadership is continuing efforts to oversee the legislative and administrative integration of occupied territories into Russian systems.

Main Effort—Eastern Ukraine

Subordinate Main Effort—Southern Kharkiv, Donetsk, Luhansk Oblasts (Russian objective: Encircle Ukrainian forces in Eastern Ukraine and capture the entirety of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, the claimed territory of Russia’s proxies in Donbas)

Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks southwest and southeast of Izyum on August 24. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian troops unsuccessfully attempted to advance towards Nova Dmytrivka (25km southwest of Izyum) and conducted an unsuccessful reconnaissance-in-force attempt near Bohorodychne (25km southeast of Izyum).[5] Russian forces also continued artillery strikes along the Izyum-Slovyansk line and near the Kharkiv-Donetsk Oblast border.[6]

Russian forces did not conduct any confirmed ground attacks towards Siversk and continued air and artillery strikes on Siversk and surrounding settlements on August 24.[7]

Russian forces continued ground attacks northeast and south of Bakhmut on August 24.  Ukrainian and Russian sources stated that Russian troops continued fighting in the Soledar-Bakhmutske area, 10km northeast of Bakhmut.[8] Russian sources claimed that Wagner Group mercenaries control the eastern part of Patrice Lumumba Street, which runs westward from Pokrovske to Bakhmut.[9] The Ukrainian General Staff also reported that Russian troops conducted offensive operations near Kodema (13km southeast of Bakhmut).[10] Russian forces conducted air and artillery strikes on Bakhmut and surrounding settlements.[11]

Russian forces conducted ground attacks in order to advance from the western outskirts of Donetsk City on August 24. The Ukrainian General Staff stated that Russian troops attempted offensive operations in the direction of Pisky, Nevelske, and Pobieda- which form a line along the western outskirts of Donetsk City.[12] Russian sources reported that Russian and Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) troops are continuing to push westward of positions near Pisky towards Nevelske, Pervomaiske, and Optyne and are conducting artillery strikes to support ground attacks towards Avdiivka.[13]

Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks southwest of Donetsk City on August 24. Russian troops reportedly attempted to advance towards Novomykhailivka (25km southwest of Donetsk City), Pavlivka (45km southwest of Donetsk City), and Velyka Novosilka (75km southwest of Donetsk City).[14] The Ukrainian General Staff additionally reported that Russian forces shelled Vuhledar, likely to continue efforts to cut ground lines of communication that run from Vuhledar to Marinka and the Donetsk City area.[15

Supporting Effort #1—Kharkiv City (Russian objective: Defend ground lines of communication (GLOCs) to Izyum and prevent Ukrainian forces from reaching the Russian border)

Russian forces did not conduct any confirmed ground assaults near Kharkiv City but continued shelling frontline settlements including Slatyne, Ruski Tyshky, Verkhniy Saltiv, Pryshyb, Rubizhne, and Odnorobivka.[16] Local Kharkiv authorities reported that Russian forces struck Dokuchaievske—a suburb approximately 23 km from Kharkiv’s city center—with S-300s.[17] Russian forces continue to strike Ukraine’s industrial base in Kharkiv City. Russian forces conducted a missile strike against the Kharkiv Shevchenko Instrument-Making Plant in southern Kharkiv City on August 23.[18]

Supporting Effort #2—Southern Axis (Russian objective: Defend Kherson and Zaporizhia Oblasts against Ukrainian counterattacks)

Russian forces conducted a limited ground assault in northwestern Kherson Oblast on August 24 but did not make confirmed territorial gains. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian assault in the direction of Mykolaivka south of the Kherson-Dnipropetrovsk Oblast administrative border.[19] Russian forces continued to launch airstrikes near the Ukrainian bridgehead over the Inhulets River, northwest of Kherson City, and near the Kherson-Dnipropetrovsk Oblast administrative border.[20]

Ukrainian forces continued to target Russian ground lines of communication (GLOCs) and positions in Kherson and Zaporizhia Oblasts. Advisor to the Kherson Oblast Administration Serhiy Khlan confirmed that Ukrainian forces struck the Kakhovka Bridge over the Dnipro River on August 24.[21] Geolocated footage also showed smoke around the Kakhovka Bridge.[22] Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command reported that Ukrainian aviation struck Russian equipment concentration points in Novovoznesenske, Arhanhenske, and Pravdyne, all situated along the Kherson Oblast administrative border.[23] Social media footage also reportedly showed a Ukrainian strike on a Russian ammunition depot in Tokmak, approximately 50km northeast of Melitopol.[24]

Russian forces continued to shell and launch missiles at Zaporizhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolaiv Oblasts on August 24. Russian forces launched unspecified missiles at Zaporizhia City twice, resulting in damage to residential infrastructure.[25] The Ukrainian Southern Operational Command reported that Russian forces launched S-300 air-defense missiles at Bereznehuvate (approximately 20km northwest of a Ukrainian bridgehead over the Inhulets River).[26] Mykolaiv Oblast officials also reported shelling near the line of contact.[27] Dnipropetrovsk Oblast officials reported that Russian forces targeted the Dnipro City district with two Kh-22 missiles.[28] Russian forces continued to fire Grad MLRS systems and tube artillery at Nikopol Raion and targeted settlements in the Kryvyi Rih Raion with Uragan MLRS systems.[29]

Russian-appointed Zaporizhia Oblast Military-Civilian Administration Head Vladimir Rogov claimed that Ukrainian forces shelled Enerhodar’s beach and the industrial area on August 24 but did not provide visual evidence.[30] ISW cannot independently identify the claim or the party responsible for the reported shelling. Social media footage published on August 23 shows forest fires reportedly nearing Enerhodar’s southern industrial and residential sites in the city.[31]

Military Land

Day summary:

 During the last 48 hours, the intensity of Russian attacks has decreased, and the enemy was unable to advance forward anywhere. We all feared what might happen on August 24, when Ukraine celebrates the Independence Day. Nothing happened, nothing at all.

 Kharkiv & Chuhuiv direction

• No activity on the ground during the last 48 hours in Kharkiv & Chuhuiv direction.

Bakhmut front

• he battle of Soledar and Bakhmutske continues. Ukrainian forces are able to repel Russian attacks.
• Russian forces tried to improve its positions towards Bakhmut. The attack was denied by Ukrainian defenders.
• The enemy attacked Ukrainian positions at Kodema, but without success and had to retreat.
• Russian troops attempted to break through Ukrainian lines towards Kurdyumivka. Ukrainian troops repelled the attack.
• Ukrainian forces repulsed a Russian attack towards Zaitseve.

Slovyansk direction

• The enemy reconnaissance elements attacked Ukrainian positions in the vicinity of Bohorodychne. The defenders denied the attempt.
• Russian forces tried to advance in the direction of Nova Dmytrivka. They did not succeed.

Donetsk Oblast

• The enemy launched an attack towards Krasnohorivka, but met fierce resistance by Ukrainian fighters and withdrew.
• Fighting continues on the western edge of Pisky settlement.
• Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks towards Pervomaiske and Nevelske.
• Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions in the vicinity of Pobieda and Novomykhailivka. The attacking force received accurate artillery fire and retreated.
• The enemy attempted to break through Ukrainian lines at Velyka Novosilka, Zolota Nvy and Pavlivka. There was enough forces in the area to repulse the attack.

Kharson front

• Russian forces attacked towards Mykolaivka in the northern Kherson Oblast. The attack was not successful.

Surse ruse și separatiste*

*aceste surse (milblogeri militari) invocă surse oficiale ruse sau ale republicilor separatiste

▪️Ca urmare a acțiunilor ofensive ale forțelor aliate, pierderile brigăzilor 68 infanterie-jaeger, 66 mecanizat și 56 infanterie motorizată ale Forțelor Armate ale Ucrainei care operează pe direcția Donețk s-au ridicat la peste 600 de persoane. În plus, aproximativ 160 de militari ai brigăzii 66 mecanizate au refuzat să participe în continuare la ostilitățile ulterioare. Comandamentul grupului operațional-tactic al Forțelor Armate ale Ucrainei „Donețk” a decis retragerea acestor formațiuni din cauza pierderii capacității de luptă din pozițiile lor în zonele din spate.
▪️Peste 50 la sută din personalul batalionului 20 al brigăzii 93 mecanizate a Forțelor Armate ale Ucrainei a fost distrus de loviturile aviației operaționale-tactice ale Forțelor Aerospațiale Ruse din zona ARTYOMOVSK. Din cauza pierderilor mari, soldații batalionului și-au părăsit pozițiile fără permisiune și au plecat într-o direcție necunoscută.
▪️Batalionul 18 al Brigăzii 35 Marină a Forțelor Armate ale Ucrainei a fost învins în zona așezării LOZOVOE, regiunea Herson, în timp ce încerca să forțeze pe ascuns râul Ingulets. Peste 80 de naționaliști și 6 mașini au fost distruse.
▪️Arma de înaltă precizie a Forțelor Aerospațiale Ruse din zona KONSTANTINOVKA a Republicii Populare Donețk a lovit punctul de desfășurare temporară a brigăzii 72 mecanizate a Forțelor Armate ale Ucrainei. Aproximativ 80 de naționaliști și 8 unități de tehnică militară au fost distruse.
▪️În total, de la începutul operațiunii militare speciale, 268 avioane, 148 elicoptere, 1803 vehicule aeriene fără pilot, 369 sisteme de rachete antiaeriene, 4382 tancuri și alte vehicule blindate de luptă, 819 vehicule de luptă cu sisteme de rachete cu lansare multiplă, 3339 de câmp tunuri de artilerie și mortiere, precum și 5034 de unități de vehicule militare speciale.