The 449th day of the Russia-Ukraine War: official operational information by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on 18.05.2023.
The Russian Federation continues its aggressive war despite significant losses. The Russian army disregards international humanitarian law, launching attacks and shelling not only military but also civilian targets.
Within a day, Russian soldiers conducted 36 missile and 23 aviation strikes, as well as approximately 30 shelling incidents using multiple rocket launch systems against Ukrainian troops’ positions and populated areas. The likelihood of missile and aviation strikes across Ukraine’s entire territory remains high.
The Russian army continues to concentrate its main efforts on the directions of Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Marinka. During the day, 17 combat clashes took place in the mentioned front sections, with the fiercest battles raging around Bakhmut and Marinka.
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- On the Volyn and Polissya directions, the operational situation remains unchanged, with no significant signs of offensive group formations detected.
- On the Siversk and Slobozhansk directions, the Russian army continues to maintain a military presence in the border areas with Ukraine. During this day, Russian troops conducted mortar and artillery shelling of the populated areas of Leonivka in the Chernihiv region; Boyaro-Lezhachi, Pavlivka, Basivka, Myropillia in the Sumy region, as well as Staritsia, Synelnykove, Ohirtseve, Hatysche, Nesterne, Budarky in the Kharkiv region.
- On the Kupiansk direction, the Russian army subjected the populated areas of Kamianka, Kolodyazhne, Fiholivka, Novomlynsk, Dvorichna, Zakhidne, Masiutivka, Lyman Pershyi, Tabaivka, Berestove in the Kharkiv region, and Stelmakhivka in the Luhansk region to artillery and mortar shelling.
- On the Lyman direction, Russian military did not conduct offensive actions during the day. Artillery shelling affected Makiiivka, Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region, and Verkhniokamianske and Spirne in the Donetsk region.
- On the Bakhmut direction, the Russian army continues to conduct offensive actions. Heavy fighting for the city of Bakhmut is ongoing. It also conducted unsuccessful offensive actions towards the settlement of Ivanivske. Aviation strikes were carried out in the areas near the settlements of Bohdanivka and Bakhmut. Vasiukivka, Zaliznianske, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bohdanivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Chasiv Yar, Bila Hora, Pivnichne in the Donetsk region were affected by Russian shelling.
- On the Avdiivka direction, the Russian army conducted offensive actions towards the north but did not succeed. During the day, it carried out airstrikes in the areas of Novokalynove and Avdiivka. Russian soldiers conducted artillery shelling of populated areas in Novokalynove, Berdychiv, Avdiivka, Toneinke, Pervomaiske, Karlivka, and Nevelske in the Donetsk region.
- On the Marinka direction, Ukrainian troops once again repelled numerous Russian attacks in the area of the city of Marinka. At the same time, the Russian army continues to destroy populated areas along the contact line and conducted artillery shelling of Krasnohorivka, Marinka, and Pobeda in the Donetsk region.
- On the Shakhtarsk direction, Russian soldiers did not conduct offensive actions during the day. They carried out airstrikes near the populated areas of Zolota Niva and Velyka Novosilka. They shelled, in particular, Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Novoukrainka, and Shakhtarske.
- On the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, the Russian army continues defensive actions. It conducted an airstrike on the populated area of Novopil in the Donetsk region and carried out artillery shelling of populated areas. Among them are Burlatske in the Donetsk region, Olhivske, Charivne, Bilohirya, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, Novoandriyivka, Stepove, Kamianske, and Plavni in the Zaporizhzhia region, as well as the city of Kherson.
Russian troops continue to exert pressure on the local population in the temporarily occupied territories of the Kherson region, particularly in the Henichesk district. Russian soldiers threaten deportation to force Ukrainian citizens to obtain Russian passports.
Russian troops have arrived in certain settlements of the Kakhovka district. They are not only occupying vacant houses but also settling in homes where peaceful residents currently reside. People who express dissatisfaction are threatened with eviction.
Recently, the Russian army has intensified counterintelligence measures in the temporarily occupied Kherson region. The number of checkpoints on roads between settlements has significantly increased, meticulous checks of vehicles and documents are conducted, and special attention is paid to the contents of phones.
Ukrainian aviation conducted six strikes on Russian personnel and military equipment concentration areas within the past 24 hours.
During this period, Ukrainian soldiers destroyed 21 cruise missiles and seven Russian reconnaissance UAVs of various types.
Missile and artillery units struck the area of armament and military equipment concentration, ammunition depots, three artillery units in firing positions, an anti-aircraft missile complex, seven radio electronic warfare stations, and Russian radar station.
Source: The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
See also: General Staff operational report May 17, 2023 on the Russian invasion of Ukraine
