Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation

(9–16 Sept 2023)

 In the period of 9–16 Sept 2023, the Armed Forces of the RU FED carried out 11 group strikes with long-range air- & sea-based precision weapons, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, against port infrastructure facilities, production and storage sites for unmanned boats, POL, ammunition, Western weaponry and locations where AFU personnel were stationed.

▫️ As a result of the strikes, logistical support for the UKR groups of troops operating in the Donetsk & Zaporozhye directions, supplies of Western-made weapons were disrupted & a large arsenal of technical ammunition of the AFU was destroyed.

▫️ On 11 Sept 2023, the RU Aerospace Forces launched a strike on the Dolgintsevo airfield near Krivoy Rog (Dnepropetrovsk region).

▫️ The strike destroyed two MiG-29 fighters and three Su-25 ground-attack aircraft of the UKR Air Force, according to revised data.

▫️ In Donetsk direct, the enemy did not abandon plans to capture Artyomovsk (Donetsk People's Republic) & continued to conduct assault ops by groups of the 28th, 93rd mech, 80th Air Assault & 3rd Assault brigs, unsuccessfully trying to dislodge RU troops from Kleshcheevka & Andreevka (DPR).

▫️ Over the past week in this direction, units of the Yug GOF repelled 34 attacks launched by AFU units, as a result of which the enemy lost more than 1,700 men killed & wounded, 16 tanks & other armoured fight vehic, 34 motor vehicl, and 12 field artil pcs.

▫️ In Zaporozhye direction, RU troops repelled 18 attacks launched by the UKR AF close to Rabotino & Verbovoye (Zaporozhye reg).

▫️ As a result of significant manpower losses, the UKR command was forced to begin withdrawing the 82nd Air Assault Brig to the rear area in order to recover combat capability.

▫️ The 71st Jaeger Brig of the AFU from the strategic reserve, along w combined assault groups of the 47th, 65th mech, and 46th Airmobile brig of the AFU, are now involved in this op to hold locations.

▫️ The enemy suffered losses of about 740 UKR personnel, 20 tanks & armoured fight vehic & 20 motor vehic throughout the battles.

▫️ In addition, 38 enemy field artil guns were eliminated as part of counter-battery warfare.

▫️ In S Donetsk direction, RU troops repelled 8 enemy attacks w concerted action during the week, continuing to defeat clusters of AFU manpower & hardware.

▫️ During interrogations, UKR men who voluntarily surrendered complain about the psychological condition & extremely low morale of the 36th & 38th brig of the AFU Marines due to considerable losses in manpower.

▫️ Over the past period, the enemy in this direction has lost over 1,100 men killed & wounded, 15 armoured fight vehic, 22 motor vehic & 7 field artil pcs.

▫️ In Kupyansk direction, as a result of active ops, the units of the Zapad GOF improved their tactical position in their areas of responsibility.

▫️ 5 counterattacks launched by the enemy's 30th Mech & 25th Airborne Brig have been repelled. AFU units suffered severe damage as a result of the effective deployment of army aviation & artil.

▫️ Enemy losses up to 400 troops, 5 armoured fighting vehic, 17 motor vehic, 17 field artillery pieces & 1 multi rocket launcher.

▫️ 7 field ammunition depots of AFU units were also destroyed.

▫️ In Krasny Liman direct, the AFU made unsuccessful attempts to regain lost positions near Torskoye (DPR) & Serebryansky forest.

▫️ The Tsentr GOF, air strikes, artil fire & heavy flame-throwing syst managed to successfully repel 13 enemy attacks. The losses of the AFU were more than 400 men, 18 armoured fight vehic, 12 motor vehic & 10 guns.

▫️ In Kherson direct, main efforts concentrated on preventing the enemy sabot & recon groups from landing on the islands & the left bank of the Dnepr River, as well as conducting counter-battery warfare.

▫️ In this direction, the AFU lost up to 360 men, 1tank, 2 armoured fight vehic, 26 motor vehic, as well as 12 field artillery pieces.

▫️ A UKR Mi-8 helicopter was intercepted by RU fighter jets on 13 Sept 2023 near Krasny Liman (DPR).

▫️ Black Sea Fleet naval aircraft & ships have located & destroyed 12 unmanned semi-submersible boats & 3 fast boats that were transporting landing groups of the AFU special operations forces in the Black Sea.

▫️ Air DEF syst intercepted 19 HIMARS projectiles & shot down 270 UKR UAVs.

📊 In total, 472 airplanes & 249 helicopters, 6,810 UAV, 437 AD missile syst, 11,881 tanks & other armoured fighting vehic, 1,150 combat vehic equipped w MLRS, 6,403 field artillery cannons & mortars, as well as 13,035 units of SM equipment have been destroyed during the SMO.