Ukrainian forces continued offensive operations near Bakhmut and in western Zaporizhia Oblast on November 3.
The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces continued offensive operations in the Bakhmut and Melitopol (western Zaporizhia Oblast) directions.[9] The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed that Russian forces repelled eight Ukrainian assaults in western Zaporizhia Oblast and several Ukrainian attacks near Bakhmut from October 28 to November 3.[10]
Russian forces conducted a notably larger series of drone strikes throughout Ukraine on November 3. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched four dozen Shahed-131/-136 drones from Kursk Oblast and Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai, and a Kh-59 cruise missile from occupied Kherson Oblast at targets in Ukraine.[1] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian air defenses shot down the Kh-59 cruise missile and 24 of the Shahed drones.[2] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukrainian forces intercepted over half of the roughly 40 drones that Russian forces launched at Ukraine.[3] Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces struck targets in Kharkiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Odesa oblasts, and Zelensky stated that Ukrainian air defenses activated in Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, and Lviv oblasts.[4] Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces primarily struck civil infrastructure, and Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast Military Administration Head Svitlana Onyshchuk stated that Russian forces struck an unspecified military facility in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast.[5] Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces launched small groups of Shaheds to identify the locations of Ukrainian air defenses and then launched several waves of drones to complicate the Ukrainian response.[6] Ukrainian officials, including Zelensky, stated that Russian forces plan to launch more damaging strikes throughout Ukraine as winter approaches.[7]
The US Department of Defense (DoD) announced new military aid packages to Ukraine on November 3, primarily aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses. The US DoD announced an aid package of military materiel support for Ukraine valued at $125 million, including munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and HIMARS; 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds; Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) anti-tank missiles; Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems; and over three million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades.[8] The US DoD will also allocate $300 million to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses over the long term. The US DoD will provide Ukraine laser-guided munitions to counter UAVs under USAI.
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- Russian forces conducted a notably larger series of drone strikes throughout Ukraine on November 3.
- The US Department of Defense (DoD) announced new military aid packages to Ukraine on November 3, primarily aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses.
- Russian milbloggers continued to criticize the Russian military command for failing to establish long-term training capabilities because it is keeping skilled commanders and soldiers at the front and leaving inexperienced careerists to train new recruits and officers.
- Alleged long-time allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin are reportedly financing two Russian Ministry of Defense–subordinated private military companies that have subsumed former Wagner Group operations in Africa.
- Wagner elements in Syria will reportedly transfer Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense systems that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has agreed to provide to Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah.
- Dagestani officials claimed they would punish those who participate in and organize alleged future demonstrations, in contrast to calls for leniency for those participating in the October 29 antisemitic riots.
- Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov’s continued appeals to Chechen nationalists likely aim to solidify domestic support without disrupting his appearance as a steadfast supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- Russian forces conducted offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, near Avdiivka, west and southwest of Donetsk City, near Vuhledar, in the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area, and in western Zaporizhia Oblast and advanced in some areas.
- Kremlin-affiliated milbloggers began advertising recruitment into an “elite regiment” in Moscow Oblast and offering recruits one-million-ruble (about $10,900) salaries.
- Kremlin-appointed Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova continued attempts to discredit information about Russia’s deportation of Ukrainian children.
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Russian Subordinate Main Effort #1 – Luhansk Oblast (Russian objective: Capture the remainder of Luhansk Oblast and push westward into eastern Kharkiv Oblast and northern Donetsk Oblast)
Russian forces continued offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line on November 3 but did not make any confirmed advances. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces conducted unsuccessful attacks in the Kupyansk direction near Synkivka (7km northeast of Kupyansk), Petropavlivka (5km northeast of Kupyansk), and Ivanivka (20km southeast of Kupyansk) and in the Svatove area near Stelmakhivka (15km northwest of Svatove).[28] The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed that elements of the Russian Western Grouping of Forces improved their positions near Kupyansk.[29] … Russian sources posted footage purporting to show Russian aviation striking Ukrainian crossings across the Oskil River in the Kupyansk direction with FAB-500 glide bombs.[31] The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service posted footage of Ukrainian border guards repelling a small Russian infantry attack near Svatove.[32]
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Russian Subordinate Main Effort #2 – Donetsk Oblast (Russian objective: Capture the entirety of Donetsk Oblast, the claimed territory of Russia’s proxies in Donbas)
Ukrainian forces continued offensive operations near Bakhmut on November 3 but did not make any claimed or confirmed gains. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces continued offensive operations south of Bakhmut.[36] The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed that elements of the Russian Southern Grouping of Forces repelled Ukrainian assaults near Klishchiivka (7km southwest of Bakhmut) and Kurdyumivka (13km southwest of Bakhmut) between October 28 and November 3.[37]
Russian forces continued limited offensive operations near Bakhmut on November 3 but did not make any confirmed or claimed advances. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled more than 10 Russian assaults near Bohdanivka (7km northwest of Bakhmut), Khromove (immediately west of Bakhmut), Klishchiivka, Andriivka (10km southwest of Bakhmut), and Pivdenne (21km southwest of Bakhmut).[38]
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Russian forces continued offensive operations near Avdiivka on November 3 and made confirmed gains on Avdiivka’s northern flank. Geolocated footage published on November 3 indicates that Russian forces advanced southwest of Krasnohorivka (4km north of Avdiivka) towards the railway line north of Avdiivka.[39] The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces continued to resist Russian advances near Avdiivka and repelled more than 17 Russian assaults near Stepove (3km north of Avdiivka), Sieverne (6km west of Avdiivka), Tonenke (7km west of Avdiivka), and Pervomaiske (11km southwest of Avdiivka).[40] Ukrainian Tavriisk Group of Forces Spokesperson Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun later stated that there were no active combat engagements near Avdiivka but that Ukrainian forces expect ”the situation to worsen” in the area.[41] Avdiivka City Military Administration Head Vitaliy Barabash stated that Russian forces are heavily shelling Ukrainian positions in Avdiivka and that infantry battles are ongoing north and south of the settlement.[42] ... A Ukrainian military observer stated that Russian forces are quickly constructing fortifications in the rear areas close to the areas of intended advance in the Avdiivka area so that they can more quickly commit reserves to combat.[46]
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Ukrainian forces repelled mechanized Russian assaults near Vuhledar on November 2. Geolocated footage published on November 2 shows Ukrainian forces striking a column of Russian armored vehicles during a Russian assault on the eastern outskirts Mykilske (4km southeast of Vuhledar).[55] Shtupun stated on November 3 that Ukrainian forces recently destroyed dozens of Russian military vehicles and stopped a Russian attack near Vuhledar.[56] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky similarly stated on November 2 that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian assaults in the general Vuhledar direction and that Russian forces lost dozens of military vehicles during the attacks.[57]
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Ukrainian and Russian forces reportedly conducted ground attacks on the east (left) bank of Kherson Oblast. Russian sources claimed on November 2 and 3 that Ukrainian forces unsuccessfully attacked near Poyma (10km southeast of Kherson City and 4km from the Dnipro River) and Krynky.[67]
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