UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 538 - 13 AUGUST 2023

The Ukrainian armed forces carried out counteroffensives on at least two fronts on August 13 and reportedly advanced in the West Donetsk-Eastern Zaporizhzhia area and the western Zaporizhzhia area.

The Ukrainian General Staff reports that the Ukrainian armed forces conducted offensive operations towards Berdiansk (West Donetsk-Eastern Zaporizhzhia area) and Melitopol (West Zaporizhzhia area), achieving partial success at Robotyne (West Zaporizhzhia area, 13 km south of Orikhiv). Several Russian sources claimed on August 12 that Russian forces had withdrawn from Urozhaine (in the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia area), although many Russian sources refute these claims on August 13 and instead claim that Russian forces still hold the southern part of Urozhaine, that fighting continues, and that areas of Urozhaine are contested. ISW has not found confirmation that Russian forces have completely withdrawn from Urozhaine, and Russian forces likely currently hold their positions at least in the southern part of the settlement.

Russian military bloggers confirm that the Ukrainian armed forces, unlike previous Ukrainian attacks, maintain a presence on the eastern (left) bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson area, but ISW does not yet believe that these positions constitute a bridgehead.

The complete Russian Offensive Update 538 is available directly from UNDERSTANDING WAR.

UNDERSTANDING WAR