Global Information2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive information
| 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine | |||||||||
The frontline on 31 December 2023 | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Ukraine |
 Russia | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Valerii Zaluzhnyi Oleksandr Syrskyi Oleksandr Tarnavskyi
|
Valeriy Gerasimov Aleksandr Khodakovsky Mikhail Teplinsky Ivan Popov
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| Units involved | |||||||||
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| Strength | |||||||||
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Estimates vary, see § Strengths | |||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Heavy | Heavy | ||||||||
| For more details, see § Casualties and losses | |||||||||
In early June 2023, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine launched a counteroffensive against Russian forces occupying its territory with a goal of breaching the front lines.[34][35][36][37][38] Efforts were made in many directions, primarily in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, among others. In total, Ukraine recaptured 14 villages in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, with a total pre-war population of around 5,000. The counteroffensive was widely regarded as a crucial moment in the war. Ukrainian officials had warned that the counteroffensive would take time and that casualties would be high.[39]
Planning for a major Ukrainian counteroffensive had begun as early as February 2023, with the original intention being to launch it in the spring.[40] However, various factors, including weather and late weapon deliveries to Ukraine, delayed it to summer, as it had not been deemed safe to progress.[41][42][43] Russia had begun preparing for the counteroffensive since November 2022 and had created extensive defensive infrastructure, including ditches, trenches, artillery positions, and landmines intended to slow down the counteroffensive.[44][45][46] Ukraine met well-established Russian defenses in the early days of the counteroffensive and had after that deliberately slowed down their pacing in order to assess the extent of Russian defenses, demine territory, save troops, and exhaust Russia's military resources.[47] They made incremental gains by capturing over 370 km2 of territory, less than half of what Russia captured in all of 2023.[48]
Almost five months after its start, prominent Ukrainian figures and Western analysts began giving negative assessments of the counteroffensive; statements by Ukrainian general Valerii Zaluzhnyi in early November 2023 that the war was a "stalemate" were seen by observers as an admission of failure.[49] Rigorous assessments made by analysts followed, especially with regard to operational success, from several weeks earlier.[50] That same month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated the war would be entering a new phase.[51] Ukrainian forces did not reach the city of Tokmak, described as a "minimum goal" by Ukrainian general Oleksandr Tarnavskyi,[52] and the probable initial objective of reaching the Sea of Azov to split the Russian forces in southern Ukraine remained unfulfilled.[53][54][55] By early December 2023, the counteroffensive was generally considered to be stalled or failed by multiple international media outlets.[56][57][58][59][60][61]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
thwartedwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Hird, Karolina; Barros, George; Mappes, Grace; Wolkov, Nicole; Clark, Mason; Kagan, Fredrick W. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 8, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
directionswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Barnes, Julian (11 December 2023). "U.S. and Ukraine Search for a New Strategy After Failed Counteroffensive". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ Lovett, Ian; Walker, Marcus; Luxmoore, Matthew (11 June 2023). "Ukraine's Offensive Begins with Ground Gained, Tanks Lost". Wall Street Journal.
- ^ https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1666854121129881605
- ^ "Ukraine aims to wear down and outsmart Russian army distracted by infighting". 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Soldiers of 30th Brigade destroy two enemy equipment units in two hours". 12 July 2023.
- ^ Axe, David (26 June 2023). "There Are Fancy Ukrainian Brigades—Then There's the 31st Mechanized. The Unassuming Unit Just Pulled a Daring Maneuver". Forbes. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ Axe, David (13 September 2023). "Ukraine's 42nd Brigade Has The Best Stryker Fighting Vehicles—And The Worst MT-LB Fighting Vehicles, Too". Forbes. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1676558794531168258?lang=en
- ^ Axe, David (2 August 2023). "The Ukrainians Are Losing a Lot of Old Soviet Vehicles Trying to Break Through Russian Lines Around Tokmak". Forbes. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ Axe, David (15 June 2023). "One Of Ukraine's Meanest Mechanized Brigades Just Joined The Southern Counteroffensive". Forbes. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ Axe, David (27 October 2023). "One Exhausted Ukrainian Brigade In Avdiivka Reportedly Blew Up 200 Russian Vehicles And Killed 800 Russian Troops". Forbes. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/prezident-ukrayini-vidvidav-brigadi-yaki-vedut-nastupalni-di-84889
- ^ Harding, Luke (15 October 2023). "Russia's Avdiivka offensive is failing, says top Ukrainian officer". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
- ^ "Russian offensive campaign assessment". Understanding War. 8 June 2023.
- ^ "Missions of the Brigade". Twitter. 7 June 2023.
- ^ https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-will-speed-up-advance-southern-front-commander-2023-08-26/
- ^ "At least 12 killed in Russian missile attack on popular meeting place for Canadian volunteers in Ukraine". The Globe and Mail. 28 June 2023.
- ^ https://twitter.com/BlackMapleCo/status/1728097737751564793?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
- ^ York, Chris (16 August 2023). "82nd Air Assault Brigade: Ukraine's 'Ridiculously Powerful' Unit Is Finally in Action". KyivPost.
- ^ "Foreign fighters leave Ukraine due to witnessing atrocities". YouTube.
- ^ "Discussions in Russia about who is responsible for successes in vicinity of Marinka – ISW". www.pravda.com.ua.
- ^ "New Canadian sanctions against Russia target accused 'Butchers of Bucha'". www.cbc.ca. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2023/08/21/Russia-creating-new-military-formation-in-Ukraine-in-face-of-wartime-realities-UK
- ^ https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russia%E2%80%99s-military-restructuring-and-expansion-hindered-ukraine-war
- ^ "Restructuring and Expansion of the Russian Ground Forces Hindered by Ukraine War Requirements".
- ^ "Institute for the Study of War".
- ^ "Institute for the Study of War". Institute for the Study of War.
- ^ "ISW: Ukrainian advances in Zaporizhzhia Oblast prompt Russian defensive focus". 17 September 2023.
- ^ "Commander of Russian air assault brigade reportedly killed in Ukraine".
- ^ "Attacked from Both Sides: Russian Paratroopers Forced Out from Krynky Surroundings, Dnipro River Left Bank".
- ^ "Live updates: Ukraine launches counteroffensive against Russia". The Washington Post. 8 June 2023. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ Schmidt, Samantha (8 June 2023). "Ukrainian military begins counteroffensive to oust Russian occupiers". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ Schmitt, Eric; Kurmanaev, Anatoly; Kramer, Andrew E. (8 June 2023). "U.S. Official Says Ukrainian Attack in South Appears to Be a Main Thrust of Counteroffensive". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ "Ukraine begins counteroffensive against Russia, officials say". ABC News. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ Sanchez, Raf; Parafeniuk, Anastasiia; O'Reilly, Bill (8 June 2023). "Ukraine launches counteroffensive against Russia". NBC News. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ Vinograd, Cassandra (21 June 2023). "Battling Russia, Ukrainian Leaders Also Fight High Expectations". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:14was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:11was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Bachega, Hugo (11 May 2023). "Zelensky says Ukraine needs more time for counter-offensive". BBC. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
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out of schedulewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Kilner, James (15 October 2023). "Ukraine's counter-offensive is a 'disaster', says former Zelensky adviser". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
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