Russian losses increase significantly in Zaporizhzhia Oblast – ISW

In the west of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the losses of Russian troops have increased significantly, and there is a shortage of combat-ready units that the command could transfer to this section of the front.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun, the spokesman of the joint press centre of the Defence Forces of the Tavriia front, said that on 18 September, Russian troops lost 313 people on the Tavriia front. Analysts of the Institute believe these were killed and wounded. 

Shtupun said that this was significantly more than in the previous two days, when approximately 200 casualties happened each day.

According to Shtupun, Russian Airborne Forces are conducting defensive actions on the Tavriia front, and Storm-Z units with conscripts have arrived to "cover". They will probably act as a cover during a possible withdrawal.

ISW analysts had previously observed how units of the 7th Guards Mountain Division and the 76th Guards Division conducted counterattacks against Ukrainian forces in the area of Robotyne and assessed that these operations severely impaired Russian forces.

At the same time, the Storm-Z units are often combat-ready and may help the Russian defence in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways for 19 September:

• The Russian government quickly signalled on 19 September that Russian peacekeeping forces would not intervene in Azerbaijan’s military operation into Nagorno-Karabakh, despite Russia’s previous security ties to Armenia.
• Russian and Ukrainian sources credited superior Ukrainian combat coordination, more precise artillery fire, and stronger electronic warfare (EW) systems for recent Ukrainian advances south of Bakhmut amid continued discussions of significant Russian losses in the area.
• Russian losses have reportedly significantly increased in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast in recent days, and the Russian military likely struggles with a lack of available combat-effective units that the Russian command is willing to laterally redeploy to this sector of the front.
• Russian forces conducted a series of Shahed-131/-136 drone and ballistic missile strikes on Ukrainian rear areas on 19 September.
• Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu met with Iranian Armed Forces General Staff Chief Major General Mohammad Bagheri in Tehran, Iran on 19 September. 
• Russian forces conducted offensive operations along the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line, and in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast but did not advance on 19 September.
• Ukrainian forces conducted offensive operations in at least two sectors of the front on 19 September and advanced along the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line and in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
• A Latvian company has reportedly been exporting chips and microcircuits to Russian defence industrial base (DIB) companies despite international sanctions designed to prevent Russia from importing such components.

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