UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 177 - AUGUST 15, 2022

Parts of the militia of the Luhansk People's Republic (LNR) reportedly refused to continue fighting in the Donetsk area and complained about the exhausting pace of offensives outside the Luhansk region.

The emotional significance of the recent Russian attacks in the Donetsk area resonates with viewers in the Donetsk People's Republic (DNR), but not with viewers in the LNR, who are tired of offensives beyond their claimed borders. Several Ukrainian channels spread a video on August 15 of soldiers from the LNR Battalion 2740 refusing to fight for the DNR. The soldiers claim they celebrated victory on July 3 when LNR forces reached the borders of the Luhansk region and they considered their job done. At least one Russian milblogger criticized the LNR soldiers for wanting Russian support for their own "liberation" and then refusing to fight in the Donetsk area. ISW cannot independently verify the origin or authenticity of this video. However, its message reflects a general trend of declining LNR investments in the Russian war in Ukraine and their willingness to support it. This trend is particularly dangerous for the Russian forces trying to recruit more new soldiers from the Luhansk region to offset recent losses. Another division within the Russian-led forces threatens to further weaken the efficiency of Russian war efforts.

Russian forces are conducting several limited ground attacks northwest of Slovyansk.

Russian forces have carried out offensive operations east and southeast of Siversk as well as northeast and southeast of Bakhmut.

Russian forces continue their offensive operations northwest, west, and southwest of the city of Donetsk.

Russian forces have conducted a limited ground attack north of the city of Kharkiv.

Russian and Ukrainian forces continue to accuse each other of shelling the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Read the full Russian Offensive Update 177 at UNDERSTANDING WAR.

UNDERSTANDING WAR online