Ukrainian Special Forces destroy Crimea ammo depot – August 16, 2022 Ukraine update

[UKRAINE] – MTN It has been 3,092 days since Russia occupied Crimea on February 27, 2014. Here is our latest update. You can visit our Russia-Ukraine War Center to find more news about Ukraine. You can also listen to our in-depth podcast, Malcontent News Russia Ukraine War Update, hosted by Linnea Hubbard.

Northeast Donetsk

Russian forces attempted to advance on Ivano-Darivka, Vyimka, and Vesele without success. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine described the assault as a “complete failure” with a “chaotic retreat.”

Russian forces launched a major attack toward Ivano-Darivka from the Verkhnokamyanka oil refinery. Fighting continued throughout the day.

A command post of the Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) 2nd Army Corps was struck by rockets fired by High Mobility Rocket Artillery Systems (HIMARS), destroying the former Ukrainian intelligence service building. Exiled Luhansk Oblast Administrative and Military Governor Serhiy Haidai reported over soldiers and officers of the 2nd Army Corps were killed in the attack. Video from Lysychansk showed that the building had been obliterated.

Governor Haidai also reported Private Military Company (PMC) Wagner Group suffered over 100 casualties due to the August 14 HIMARS attack on their headquarters in Popasna. New videos and pictures of the Wagner headquarters after the attack showed vastly more damage than initially reported, confirming there were multiple rocket strikes. Members of PMC Wagner reported that the man behind the Telegram account Grey Zone died from injuries sustained in the attack.

General Ramzan Kadyrov posted a video showing Akhmat Division members fighting in an undisclosed location in northeast Donetsk. This is the first evidence of Chechen fighters still active in Ukraine in over two weeks, but the video appears to be old.

Bakhmut

Russian forces attempting to advance into Yakolivka either hit a landmine or were ambushed by Ukrainian forces and suffered equipment and personnel losses. Russian forces attempted to advance into Soledar from two directions – Bakhmutske and Stryapivka. The attacks were unsuccessful.

Russian forces continued attempts to advance into Bakhmutske and Zaitseve (10 kilometers southeast of Bakhmut).

In the Svitlodarsk bulge, Russian forces continue to attempt to capture Zaitseve from Horlivka. Russian forces shared a video of sappers blowing up the Luhan River bridge in Luhanske. The bridge is located in a region of solid Russian control.

Southwest Donetsk – Zaporizhia

The latest report from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not mention Pisky, and the last report of Ukrainian positions being shelled was 12 hours ago. Ukrainian forces remain northeast and south of the village, but in our assessment, Pisky is under Russian control.

Elements of the 1st Army Corps of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) have launched positional battles near Staromykhailivka and Nevelske.

The DNR appears to have abandoned efforts to capture Avdiivka after suffering devastating losses in direct assaults.

A composition of Russian airborne VDV, naval infantry, DNR, and LNR forces launched a series of offensives in southern Ukraine.

Russian forces launched an offensive from Solodke toward Vodyane to the west and Volodymyrivka to the southwest. Neither offensive was successful.

Russian forces made another attempt to advance on Pavlivka, which was unsuccessful. A Russian Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter was shot down.

In Russian-controlled Melitopol, insurgents blew up the TV transmitter and a substation, cutting off all television signals in the area.

Kharkiv

The Russian Ministry of Defense and Pro-Russian social media account Rybar made another claim that the border settlement of Udy was recaptured. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Sosnivka, between Udy and the Russian stronghold of Kozacha Lopan, was shelled through the day.

Seven Iskander-M Short-Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBM) hit the Shevchenkivskyi, Kyivskyi, Saltivskyi, Industrialnyi, and Kholodnohirskyi district of Kharkiv during the largest artillery and missile attack on the city since May. There were no casualties reported.

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Izyum

Russian forces launched the heaviest round of artillery fire in over a week along the Izyum axis. Ukrainian positions in Hrushuvakha, Virnopilla, Krasnopilla, Asiivka, and Mazanivka were shelled.

Russian forces then attempted to advance on Mazanivka and Dolyna and were unsuccessful.

Kherson

Northwest of Kherson, Russian forces advanced toward Novohryhorivka and took heavy losses in the failed advance. Based on this information, we recoded the village of Zelenyi Hai as under Russian control.

Russian forces appear to be making a significant effort to push Ukrainian forces across the Inhulets River. Russian troops attacked Andriivka, Lozove, Bilohrika, and Bila Krynytsia, which is on the west bank of the river.

Dnipropetrovsk

The Russian Ministry of Defense continues stonewalling the International Atomic Energy Agency and United Nations’ request to allow inspections into the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Igor Vishnevetsky, Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control, claimed it would be too dangerous for international inspectors to travel to the plant through Kyiv.

Odesa-Crimea-Black Sea

A massive Russian ammunition depot in Maiske, Russian-controlled Crimea, exploded. Multiple videos showed continuous secondary explosions, air-to-air missiles flying in all directions, and two additional blasts. Satellite images before the blast suggest the ammo depot may have been 1,000 meters long. The Russian Ministry of Defense initially claimed the explosion was an accident and, in an update, reported that Ukrainian Special Operation Forces had destroyed the depot.

The depot was located 750 meters from civilian housing, and up to 3000 people were ordered to evacuate. Social media videos showed unexploded munitions had been thrown up to 5 kilometers away and littered roads, fields, and yards. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported there were no casualties, while occupation officials in Crimea reported at least two were wounded.

An naval airbase in Russian-controlled Hvardiiske was attacked by Ukrainian SOF, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. Local residents reported multiple explosions and black clouds of smoke rising from the base, where more than two-dozen aircraft are stationed. Kremlin officials claim a kamikaze drone made the attack, and there were no casualties or significant damage.

Daily Assessment

1. Russian forces have dramatically increased operational tempo in northeast Donetsk, indicating a larger offensive may be starting than we previously assessed.
2. The 1st Army Corps appears to have abandoned direct assaults on Avdiivka and Marinka after the capture of Pisky.
3. Russian forces are attempting to push Ukrainian troops from the Inhulets River bridgehead, as supply issues are already hitting troops west of the Dnipro.

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