UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 586 - SEPTEMBER 30, 2023

The Ukrainian Armed Forces continued their counterattacks in the western Zaporizhzhia Oblast and near Bakhmut on September 30.

The Ukrainian General Staff announced that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have continued their offensive operations towards Melitopol (western Zaporizhzhia Oblast) and near Bakhmut. Russian Milbloggers reported unsuccessful ground attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Klyshchyvka (7 km southwest of Bakhmut), Andriivka (10 km southwest of Bakhmut), Robotyne (10 km south of Orikhiv), Novoprokopivka (13 km south of Orikhiv), and Verkhove (18 km southeast of Orikhiv). A Russian Milblogger supposedly affiliated with the Russian Airborne Troops (VDV) implicitly refuted the claim made on September 24 that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had occupied half of Verkhove (18 km southeast of Orikhiv). The Milblogger claimed on September 29 that parts of the 7th Guards VDV Division still held Verkhove despite the losses suffered.

The Russian authorities have started recruiting citizens with Russian passports in the occupied Ukraine.

The complete Russian Offensive Update 586 is available directly from UNDERSTANDING WAR.

UNDERSTANDING WAR