(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Ukraine Invasion Day 601: Avdiivka combat continues [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-10-16 Russian forces continued offensive operations in the Avdiivka direction on October 16 and recently made some gains, albeit at a relatively slower pace than in the initial attacks. Russian forces conducted an unsuccessful frontal assault on Terrikon, a formidable artificial mountain. Ukrainian defenders repelled the attack, causing significant Russian casualties x LETHAL SKIES: UKR sources report that front line air defenses have downed another Russian Su-25 strike aircraft. This is the third Su-25 downed by Ukraine this week. https://t.co/QITHc8pfyh pic.twitter.com/IdsWx0MSnn — Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) October 16, 2023 Geolocated footage posted on October 16 shows that Russian forces have marginally advanced past the E50 road about 3km south of Avdiivka.[3] The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled a total of 22 Russian attacks in the Avdiivka direction in the past day, notably fewer than the 30 reported attacks on October 15.[4] Russian sources noted that Russian forces have increased the intensity of air and artillery strikes on the settlement in order to compensate for slow ground maneuvers, which are complicated by heavy Ukrainian fortifications surrounding Avdiivka.[5] During a meeting on the operational situation in Ukraine on October 16, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed that Russian forces have improved their tactical positions in unspecified areas and that the Russian “active defense” along the front, including near Avdiivka, is prohibiting Ukrainian advances.[6] Ukrainian forces continued offensive operations near Bakhmut and in western Zaporizhia Oblast on October 16. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces conducted offensive operations in the Melitopol (western Zaporizhia Oblast) and Bakhmut directions.[7] Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces conducted assaults near Avdiivka and on Verbove’s western and northwestern outskirts (10km east of Robotyne or 18km southwest of Orikhiv).[8] Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces are within 200 to 300 meters of Russian positions west of Verbove.[9] www.criticalthreats.org/... www.criticalthreats.org/... x 600 days. 600 days Ukraine has fought for their survival. 600 days Russia have violated the UN Charter and every Law of War I know of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Kidnapping thousands of children, raping, murdering, mutilating civilians and POWs. https://t.co/XKg5ZTnMct — John Spencer (@SpencerGuard) October 16, 2023 www.criticalthreats.org/... Key Takeaways: Russia likely deployed elements of at least two Central Military District (CMD) brigades to reinforce offensive operations by Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) forces on the Avdiivka front. Ukrainian forces continued offensive operations near Bakhmut and in western Zaporizhia Oblast on October 16. A new Russian procedure restricting the border checkpoints that Ukrainians can use to enter Russia from third countries came into force on October 16, effectively only allowing Ukrainians to enter Russia from third countries through the Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow. A group of Russian lawyers appear to be challenging the Kremlin’s precariously crafted veneer of legality surrounding the Russian judicial system, calling for a strike three days after Russian authorities arrested four lawyers on extremism charges. Russian forces conducted offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, in the Bakhmut direction, near Avdiivka, southwest of Donetsk City, in the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area, and in western Zaporizhia Oblast and advanced in some areas. The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) reported further details on ongoing North Korean weapons shipments to Russia on October 16. Senior Russian officials reiterated boilerplate narratives about the Ukrainian counteroffensive and the Israel-Hamas war during a Russian Security Council meeting on October 16 likely to deter Western support for Ukraine. www.criticalthreats.org/... x ⚡️ WAR IN #UKRAINE - OCT 16 Development of troop & landbased equipment losses in 2023 See dashboard for further analysis 📈 https://t.co/r7L7pBlaOb pic.twitter.com/pVWII1xQzt — Ragnar Gudmundsson 🇮🇸🇺🇦 (@ragnarbjartur) October 16, 2023 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 on the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line on October 16 but did not make confirmed advances…. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks near Synkivka, Ivanivka (19km southeast of Kupyansk), Stelmakhivka (12km northwest of Svatove), and Nadiya (20km west of Svatove).[32] Ukrainian military analyst Petro Chermyk stated that Russian forces are concentrating 100,000 personnel in the Kupyansk-Lyman direction to distract Ukrainian forces from ongoing offensive operations near Bakhmut.[33] Chernyk stated that Russian forces may achieve partial success in the Kupyansk-Lyman direction but will need to commit significant forces to capture territory. www.criticalthreats.org/... www.criticalthreats.org/... Russian Subordinate Main Effort #2 – Donetsk Oblast (Russian objective: Capture the entirety of Donetsk Oblast, the claimed territory of Russia’s proxies in Donbas) Russian forces continued limited counterattacks in the Bakhmut direction on October 16 but did not make any confirmed gains. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks southwest of Bakhmut near Klishchiivka (6km southwest) and Andriivka (8km southwest).[36] Ukrainian Eastern Grouping of Forces Spokesperson Captain Ilya Yevlash noted that there were seven meeting engagements in this direction over the past day.[37] www.criticalthreats.org/... www.criticalthreats.org/... www.criticalthreats.org/... x Russians attack Kherson Oblast with five fighter jets https://t.co/asiNumQFel — Ukrainska Pravda in English (@pravda_eng) October 17, 2023 x Location: Kolomyichykha (Коломийчиха), Luhansk Oblast at 49.43637, 37.97477 https://t.co/VZNSMzGI8G @UAControlMap #geoconfirmed @GeoConfirmed A Russian Murom-P surveillance system mounted at the top of a tower got destroyed by the 1st presidential brigade 'Bureviy'. pic.twitter.com/AOj88JwxiE — blinzka (@blinzka) October 16, 2023 x A Ukrainian woman complained about tickets for an evacuation flight from Israel, Kyrylo Budanov forced 19 Russians to surrender, and the US special representative arrived in Kyiv. We have collected the key news for October 16.https://t.co/UmNykeb0Fs — Hromadske Int. (@Hromadske) October 16, 2023 [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/16/2199756/-Ukraine-Invasion-Day-601-Avdiivka-combat-continues?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/