Information Defence: Military-Political Situation in Ukraine as of April 23rd - Ihor Zhdanov

Ihor Zhdanov, Information Defence Project, Open Policy Foundation

Informational Defence of Ukraine provides a daily review of the military-political situation in Ukraine as of April 23rd, based on an analysis of open sources.

1. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are preparing for the decisive battle for the Donbas area.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the main efforts of the enemy in the Donetsk and Tavriia areas are focused on taking control of the settlements of Popasna, Rubizhne and preparing for the attack on Severodonetsk. In the area of Mar’inka and in most other areas, the enemy is unsuccessful in the attacks.

In the Slobozhanskyi direction, the enemy continues to partially encircle Kharkiv, carrying out artillery shelling of the positions of our units and civilian infrastructure in the area of Chuhuiiv, Korobochkino and Dovhenke.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out a successful counterattack in the Kharkiv region and pushed russian troops out of Bezruky, Slatine, and Prudianka in the Derhachivskyi district.

The total combat losses of the enemy from February 24 to April 23 were approximately: approximately 21,600 combatants (killed), tanks - 854 units, armored combat vehicles - 2,205 units, artillery systems - 403 units, MLRS - 143 units, air defence - 69 units, aircraft - 177 units, helicopters - 154 units, motor vehicles - 1,543 units, ships / boats - 8 units, fuel tanks - 76 units, UAVs operational and tactical level - 182 units, special equipment - 27 units, TBM / BRBM (tactical ballistic missile / battlefield range ballistic missile) launchers – 4.

According to the ex-Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov, the losses of the enemy according to the internal