The 495th day of the Russia-Ukraine War: official operational information by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on 03.07.2023.
Russian offensive actions and impact on civilians
The Russian Federation continues to wage an aggressive war. Despite significant losses, it refuses to abandon plans for the complete occupation of Ukrainian territory. The Russian army continues to kill innocent civilians in Ukraine, ignoring the laws and customs of war, using terrorist tactics, and targeting both military and civilian objects.
Within a day, Russian troops launched another missile and aerial attack on Ukrainian territory, using 3 guided missiles from the S-300 surface-to-air missile system and 20 Iranian strike drones of the Shahed type, targeting civilian infrastructure in the Sumy, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
As a result of the air defense battle, carried out by the Air Force in coordination with other components of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, 14 Shahed strike drones were destroyed.
Furthermore, the Russian army conducted 44 airstrikes and approximately 50 shelling attacks from multiple rocket launch systems on positions of Ukrainian military and populated areas. The probability of missile and aerial strikes throughout the territory of Ukraine remains high.
The Russian army is focusing its main efforts on the Luhansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Marinka directions, where heavy fighting is ongoing. Over 30 combat clashes occurred within a day.
Intensified frontline clashes and epicenters of conflict
All maps provided by War Mapper
- The operational situation remains unchanged in the Volyn and Polissia directions. There are no signs of offensive formations being formed. Identified units of the Belarusian Armed Forces are carrying out tasks in border areas with Ukraine. The movement of Russian Federation Armed Forces units, which underwent training at Belarusian training grounds, has begun for their further participation in combat operations on Ukrainian territory.
- The Russian army maintains military presence in the Siversk and Slobozhansk directions. It conducted airstrikes on the city of Sumy and in the Katerynivka area of Sumy Oblast. Russian troops carried out mortar and artillery shelling on over 10 populated areas, including Bachivsk, Khodyne, and Katerynivka in Sumy Oblast, as well as Veterenarne, Kozacha Lopan, and Budarky in Kharkiv Oblast.
- In the Kupiansk direction, the Russian army subjected Petro-Ivanivka, Fiholivka, Novomlynsk, Dvorichna, and Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast to artillery and mortar shelling.
- In the Lyman direction, over 10 populated areas, including Nevske, Bilotserkivka in Luhansk Oblast, and Verkhniokamianske, Berestove, and Rozdolivka in Donetsk Oblast, were shelled by artillery.
- In the Bakhmut direction, Russian troops conducted unsuccessful offensive actions southeast of Orikhovo-Vasylivka and west of Bakhmut. More than 10 populated areas were affected by Russian artillery shelling, including Kramatorsk, Kostiantynivka, Vasiukivka, Bohdanivka, Chasiv Yar, Klishchiivka, and Bila Hora in Donetsk Oblast.
- In the Avdiivka direction, Russian soldiers carried out artillery shelling on over 10 populated areas. Affected areas include Keramik, Avdiivka, Severne, Vodyane, and Nevelske in Donetsk Oblast.
- In the Marinka direction, despite Russian airstrikes and artillery fire, Ukrainian military repelled all 14 Russian attacks in the area of the city of Marinka. The Russian army shelled over 10 populated areas, including Krasnohorivka, Horlivka, Maksymilianivka, and Pobeda in Donetsk Oblast.
- In the Shakhtarsk direction, the Russian army conducted an airstrike in the area of Blahodatne in Donetsk Oblast. It shelled more than 10 populated areas, including Blahodatne, Vuhledar, Bohoyavlenka, Shakhtarske, Zolota Nyva, and Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast.
- In the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, the Russian army focuses its main efforts on preventing the advancement of Ukrainian troops. It conducted artillery shelling on over 30 populated areas, including Huliaipole, Bilohirya, and Mala Tokmachka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast; Marganets, Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast; Antonivka in Kherson Oblast, and the city of Kherson.
Ukrainian countermeasures
Ukrainian aviation conducted 14 strikes on Russian personnel concentration areas within a day.
Units of missile troops and artillery targeted 2 Russian personnel concentration areas and destroyed 5 of their artillery systems in firing positions.
Source: The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
See also: General Staff operational report July 2, 2023 on the Russian invasion of Ukraine
