General Staff: AFU holds defense after advancing and exhausts the enemy along the entire front line; there were 15 military clashes during the day

On September 23, 15 combat clashes between Ukrainian defenders and Russian invaders took place on the front line during the day. Defense forces continue to conduct offensive operations in Melitopol and Bakhmut directions, inflict damage on the occupation forces in manpower and equipment, and deplete the enemy along the entire front line.

This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a summary on Facebook. "Our aviation conducted eight strikes on areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment over the day, and four on enemy anti-aircraft missile systems.

"At the same time, Russia struck Ukraine with Shahed-136/131 kamikaze drones again. As a result of combat operations, 14 out of 15 targets were destroyed by the Air Force in cooperation with the air defense of other components of the Defense Forces," the report said.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces added that the enemy launched five missile and 44 airstrikes over the day, making 22 stikes from multiple-launch rocket systems at the positions of our troops and populated areas. Unfortunately, Russian terrorist attacks have resulted in civilian casualties and injuries. Private homes and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.

As for the situation on the frontline, the General Staff reports the following:

• The operational situation in the Volyn and Polissia directions remains unchanged. There are no signs of offensive groups forming. Certain units of the Belarusian Armed Forces are performing tasks in the areas bordering Ukraine;
• The enemy maintains a military presence in the border areas and continues shelling settlements from the territory of the Russian Federation in the Seversk and Slobozhansk directions. More than 20 settlements were subjected to artillery and mortar shelling by the enemy, including Turia, Bleshnia, Prohres, Yanzhulivka, and Hremiak in Chernihiv region; Novovasylivka, Marchykhyna Buda, Iskryskivshchyna, Zapsillia, and Pozhnia in Sumy region and Udy, Morokhovets, Neskuchne, Budarky, and Topoly in Kharkiv region;

• The enemy launched air strikes near the towns of Synkivka, Ivanivka, Kyslivka in the Kharkiv region and Nadia in the Luhansk region in the Kupiansk direction. Artillery and mortar attacks were carried out in the vicinity of more than 10 settlements, including Berestove, Masiutivka, Kucherivka, Ivanivka, and Kyslivka in the Kharkiv region;
• The Defense Forces successfully repelled an enemy attack near Bilohorivka, Luhansk region in the Lyman direction. Air strikes were carried out near Nevske and Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region and Serebrianka, Spirne and Vesele in the Donetsk region. More than 10 localities suffered from artillery and mortar shelling, including Nevske and Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region and Novosadove, Torske, Hryhorivka, Verkhnekamianske, and Spirne in the Donetsk region;

• The enemy tried to regain lost ground near Klishchiivka, Donetsk region in the Bakhmut direction but was unsuccessful. They launched an air strike near this settlement instead. More than 15 localities came under artillery and mortar fire, including Vasiukivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bohdanivka, Klishchiivka, Bila Hora and New York in the Donetsk region;
• The Defense Forces are successfully holding the line in the Avdiivka direction. The enemy conducted an air strike near Avdiivka in the Donetsk region. Keramik, Novobakhmutivka, Stepove, Tonenke and Pervomaiske in the Donetsk region came under artillery and mortar fire;
• Our defenders successfully repelled 9 enemy attacks in the areas of Marinka and Peremoha, Donetsk region, in the Marinka direction. The enemy launched an air strike near Marinka, Donetsk region. More than 10 settlements were under occupants' fire, including Nevelske, Oleksandropil, Krasnohorivka, Peremoha, Novomykhailivka, and Katerynivka in the Donetsk region;

• The enemy launched air strikes near the settlements of Vuhledar, Urozhaine, and Staromaiorske in the Donetsk region in the Shakhtarsk direction. About 10 localities came under artillery and mortar fire, including Vodiane, Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva, Blahodatne, and Urozhaine in the Donetsk region;
• The Defense Forces continue their offensive in the Zaporizhzhia direction. In particular, they are pushing the enemy out of their positions and consolidating their positions in the area of Verbove, Zaporizhzhia region. The enemy launched an air strike near Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia region. More than 10 settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Chervone, Zaliznychne, Huliaipole, Novoandriivka, Shcherbaky, and Kamianske in the Zaporizhzhia region;
• The enemy conducted air strikes near the settlements of Kozatske, Mykolaivka, and Olhivka in the Kherson region in the Kherson direction. About 10 settlements in the Kherson region came under enemy artillery and mortar fire, including Novooleksandrivka, Dudchany, Zmiivka, Tokarivka, Veletenske, and Kizomys in the Kherson region.

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, according to Tarnavsky, commander of the Tavria operational-strategic group, the biggest breakthrough on the front is still ahead. For further success, Ukrainian forces need to reach at least the city of Tokmak in the Zaporizhzhia region.

"There is a combination of small enemy defense groups, which are now placed very accurately and competently. But the actions of our fighters are forcing them to retreat slowly when they encounter our assault units," the brigadier general emphasized.

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