(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Ukraine Invasion Day 598: “fighting shoulder to shoulder for goodness and the truth.” [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-10-13 Ukrainian forces conducted counteroffensive operations near Bakhmut and in western Zaporizhia Oblast on October 13. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces continued offensive operations in the Melitopol (western Zaporizhia Oblast) direction and the Bakhmut direction. [11] Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces continued unsuccessful attacks along the Klishchiivka-Andriivka-Kurdyumivka line (7-13km southwest of Bakhmut) and along the Robotyne-Verbove line (10km south to 18km southeast of Orikhiv). [12] Ukraine is delivering devastating blows to the Russian offensive towards Avdiivka. The Russians have lost more than 15 tanks and 30 infantry fighting vehicles over the past 48 hours. pic.twitter.com/FFmtFZN56r Mykola Bielieskov, a military analyst at the National Institute for Strategic Studies, a Ukrainian government research group, said in an interview that “the scale of the recent attacks is unprecedented” in Avdiivka. He compared it to the fighting that took place there more than half a year ago, when Russia relentlessly shelled the town during its winter offensive. “Our Avdiivka is under massive attacks by Russian artillery and aviation,” Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president’s office, said on Tuesday in a post on the Telegram messaging service, which included a photo of a building reduced to rubble. Ukrainian commanders had since last month cautioned that Russia was marshaling troops in the east for a renewed attempt to break through Ukrainian lines. The area was a focus of a Russian offensive last winter that largely failed. Ukraine’s military said on Wednesday that it had repelled tank attacks supported by artillery in one of Russia’s heaviest assaults in months on the city of Avdiivka, and that Russia had over the past 24 hours dropped 20 powerful aviation bombs near the cities of Lyman and Kupiansk, all in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine attacks 3 Russian Black Sea naval ships in 2 days. SBU confirms damage to a Russian "Buyan" missile carrier warship this morning in Sevastopol Bay, says it also attacked "Pavel Derzhavin" naval patrol ship two days ago, and attempted to attack "Alrosa" submarine using… pic.twitter.com/9W04JVJhwx Crimean Telegram channels report that a ship exploded in the roadstead of Sevastopol. By preliminary information, it might be a patrol ship of 22160 project. There have also been reports that it might be a Kalibr missile carrier of Buyan-M project. Project 22160 patrol ships… pic.twitter.com/URQg5cIVs4 After the first detonation, Russian minesweepers and divers were unable to discover our know-how. Yesterday, the submarine "Alrosa" got lucky, managed to escape our developments so far. The carrier of cruise missiles "Buyan" could not repeat the "feat" of "Alrosa", therefore it was struck today during the Sevastopol raid by the experimental weapon "Sea Babies". The Security Service of Ukraine warns Muscovites that there is no need to go through Ukrainian waters if you want to preserve at least some remnants of your fleet," notes one of the organizers of the special operation. https://t.me/censor_net/38633 SBU confirms damage to a Russian "Buyan" missile carrier warship this morning in Sevastopol Bay, says it also attacked "Pavel Derzhavin" naval patrol ship two days ago, and attempted to attack "Alrosa" submarine using Sea Baby experimental naval drones:" ⚡️ WAR IN #UKRAINE - OCT 13 ■ Fewer engagements but strikes above 7-day average ■ 5th highest troop losses reported in 2023 ■ Record high 7-day APV & tank losses for 2023 ■ Artillery more than double the 7-day average 📈 https://t.co/uXq9FQ7T46 pic.twitter.com/Bfzj9mi0c6 ⚡️Units of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade, with the help of tanks, managed to knock the russians out of the front lines. The video was filmed in the Zaporizhzhia direction. 👉 @Flash_news_ua pic.twitter.com/SNkUOHZJ0V Russian Subordinate Main Effort #1 – Luhansk Oblast (Russian objective: Capture the remainder of Luhansk Oblast and push westward into eastern Kharkiv Oblast and northern Donetsk Oblast) Russian forces continued offensive operations in the Kupyansk direction on October 13 and reportedly advanced. The North Ossetian “Storm Ossetia” and “Alania” Russian volunteer battalions claimed that Russian forces made “serious advances” in the Kupyansk direction but did not provide any evidence for this claim. [21] A Russian news aggregator claimed that Russian forces advanced towards Krokhmalne (24km southeast of Kupyansk) but did not specify the scope of the advance. [22] ...The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks near Synkivka, Ivanivka (19km southeast of Kupyansk), and Kyslivka (21km southeast of Kupyansk). [24] Ongoing Russian offensive operations throughout the Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast area on October 13 reportedly faced setbacks around the city. Russian sources claimed that Russian forces continued to attack areas north and south of Avdiivka, and geolocated footage published on October 12 and 13 indicates that Russian forces advanced south of Krasnohorivka (5km north of Avdiivka) and southeast of Pervomaiske (11km southwest of Avdiivka). [1] Russian sources also published conflicting reports about previous claims by Russian sources of Russian control of the Avdiivka Coke Plant, and ISW has not observed any evidence to confirm that Russian forces control the plant as of publication. [2] Ukrainian military officials reported that Ukrainian forces continue to repel Russian attacks around Avdiivka. [3] The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks near Avdiivka, Tonenke (5km northwest of Avdiivka), Sieverne (6km west of Avdiivka), Lastochkyne (6km west of Avdiivka), Pervomaiske, Keramik (14km northwest of Avdiivka), Netaylove (14km southwest of Avdiivka), and Nevelske (14km southwest of Avdiivka). [40] ... A Russian news aggregator claimed that Russian forces are clearing the area northeast of the Avdiivka Coke Plant, and another Russian source claimed that Russian forces have not captured the Avdiivka Coke Plant itself. [42] A Ukrainian commander operating near Avdiivka told the Washington Post in an article published on October 12 that Russian forces “concentrated up to three fresh brigades” in the Avdiivka direction. [43] Footage published on October 13 purportedly shows elements of the 114th Motorized Rifle Brigade (1st Donetsk People’s Republic Army Corps) operating south of Krasnohorivka. [44] The Russian military command appears to be restricting discussion of the Russian offensive operations around Avdiivka in the Russian information space, likely in an attempt to adapt to previous information shocks and control any narratives that emerge in the Russian information space around these operations. ...A Russian source stated that he supported the Russian military’s decision and urged milbloggers to discuss only information that does not affect Russian military operational security, whereas other Russian milbloggers noted that this is the time to figure out which of the Russian milbloggers are lying about the situation on the frontlines. [8] The Russian military command likely seeks to adjust for previous major offensives in which it lost control of perceptions of Russian actions in the Russian information space. Some milbloggers are following (and will likely continue to follow) the MoD-imposed narrative line, but this attempt at centralized control may provoke a backlash from select milbloggers. The Kremlin is likely attempting to frame Russian offensive operations around Avdiivka and other localized efforts as Russian forces seizing the operational initiative in Ukraine. Russian UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya claimed on October 13 that Ukrainian counteroffensive operations are “formally over” because Russian forces have switched to “active combat operations along almost the entire frontline." [9] The Kremlin is likely attempting to use Russian offensive operations around Avdiivka as well as localized efforts in other areas of the front to shift the Russian and international narratives to focus on Russian offensive operations and military capabilities. Ukraine is highly unlikely to have concluded its ongoing counteroffensive as Nebenzya claims, and as ISW has previously noted Ukrainian counteroffensive operations will likely continue into the winter months, though likely at a reduced pace and scale. [10] Radu Hossu @RaduHossu [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/13/2199141/-Ukraine-Invasion-Day-598-fighting-shoulder-to-shoulder-for-goodness-and-the-truth?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/