Ukrainian Defence Forces pursue their offensive near Verbove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast – General Staff report

Ukrainian Defence Forces have persisted in their offensive near the settlement of Verbove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, pushing the Russians out of their positions and consolidating them.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 18:00 on 23 September

Quote: "The Ukrainian Armed Forces are pressing ahead with their offensive on the Zaporizhzhia front near Verbove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, pushing the enemy out of their positions and consolidating them."

Details: A total of 15 combat engagements have occurred over the past 24 hours. Russia also launched another attack on Ukraine with Shahed-136/131 kamikaze drones. The Ukrainian Air Force, in cooperation with the air defence systems of other parts of the Defence Forces, destroyed 14 of the 15 Shaheds.

The Russians delivered 5 missile attacks and 44 airstrikes and attacked the positions of the Ukrainian army and civilian settlements 22 times using multiple-launch rocket systems. Russian terrorist attacks have caused deaths and injuries among the civilian population. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were hit and severely damaged.

The operational situation in Ukraine's east and south remains challenging.

On the Volyn and Polissia fronts, the operational situation is without significant changes. No signs of the formation of offensive groups were recorded. Certain units of the Armed Forces of Belarus are carrying out tasks in the border areas with Ukraine.

On the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts, the Russian forces maintain a military presence in the border areas and continue firing on Ukrainian settlements from the territory of the Russian Federation. More than 20 settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, namely Turia, Bleshnia, Prohres, Yanzhulivka and Hremiach in Chernihiv Oblast; Novovasylivka, Marchykhyna Buda, Iskryskivshchyna, Zapsillia and Pozhnia in Sumy Oblast; and Udy, Morokhovets, Neskuchne, Budarky and Topoli in Kharkiv Oblast.

On the Kupiansk front, Russian troops carried out air strikes in and around the settlements of Synkivka, Ivanivka and Kyslivka in Kharkiv Oblast and Nadiia in Luhansk Oblast. Artillery and mortar bombardments hit over 10 settlements, including Berestove, Masiutivka, Kucherivka, Ivanivka and Kyslivka in Kharkiv Oblast.

On the Lyman front, the Ukrainian Defence Forces successfully repelled a Russian attack near the settlement of Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast. Russian troops carried out air strikes on the areas in and around the settlements of Nevske and Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast and Serebrianka, Spirne and Vesele in Donetsk Oblast. Artillery and mortar bombardments affected over 10 settlements, including Nevske and Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast and Novosadove, Torske, Hryhorivka, Verkhnokamianske, and Spirne in Donetsk Oblast.

On the Bakhmut front, the Russians tried and failed to regain their lost position near the village of Klishchiivka in Donetsk Oblast, instead launching an airstrike near this settlement. Over 15 settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Vasiukivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bohdanivka, Klishchiivka, Bila Hora and New-York in Donetsk Oblast.

On the Avdiivka front, the Ukrainian Defence Forces are effectively holding the defence on the occupied lines. The Russians launched an airstrike near the city of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast. Keramik, Novobakhmutivka, Stepove, Tonenke and Pervomaiske in Donetsk Oblast came under artillery and mortar fire.

On the Marinka front, over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian defenders have successfully repelled nine Russian attacks in and around the settlements of Marinka and Pobeda in Donetsk Oblast. The Russians launched an airstrike in the vicinity of Marinka in Donetsk Oblast. Over 10 settlements came under Russian fire, including Nevelske, Oleksandropil, Krasnohorivka, Pobieda, Novomykhailivka and Katerynivka in Donetsk Oblast.

On the Shakhtarsk front, the Russians delivered airstrikes in and around the settlements of Vuhledar, Urozhaine and Staromaiorske in Donetsk Oblast. Artillery and mortar bombardments hit about 10 settlements, including Vodiane, Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva, Blahodatne and Urozhaine in Donetsk Oblast.

On the Zaporizhzhia front, Ukrainian Defence Forces continued their offensive operation near Verbove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, pushing the Russians out of their positions and consolidating their gains.

The Russians launched an airstrike near the village of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Over 10 settlements were targeted by Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Chervone, Zaliznychne, Huliaipole, Novoandriivka, Shcherbaky and Kamianske in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

On the Kherson front, the Russians carried out airstrikes in and around the settlements of Kozatske, Mykolaivka, and Olhivka in Kherson Oblast. About 10 settlements in Kherson Oblast came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Novooleksandrivka, Dudchany, Zmiivka, Tokarivka, Veletenske and Kizomys in Kherson Oblast.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Defence Forces continue to conduct offensive operations on the Melitopol front and offensive (assault) operations on the Bakhmut front, inflicting losses of military personnel and equipment on the Russian occupying forces and exhausting the Russians along the entire contact line.

Over the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian Air Force has carried out eight strikes on clusters of Russian military personnel, weapons and equipment, and four on Russian anti-aircraft missile systems.

Ukraine’s Rocket Forces and Artillery have struck one cluster of Russian military personnel, weapons and equipment, one anti-aircraft missile system, five artillery pieces and one radar station.

Previously: On 23 September, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, the commander of the Tavriia operational-strategic group, told Western media that Ukrainian soldiers had broken through the Russian defence in Verbove, Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

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