2022 Kherson counteroffensive
2022 Ukraine summer counteroffensive | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
![]() |
![]() | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Ukrainian claim: 26 wounded[1] |
Ukrainian claim: 312+ killed 11+ captured |
The 2022 Ukraine summer counteroffensive[2][3] is an ongoing military engagement in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine that the Ukrainian authorities have said would take place during the Ukrainian summer of 2022. Serhiy Khlan, a Ukrainian official, stated that the whole of Kherson Oblast would "definitely" be retaken by the end of September 2022[4] and president Volodymyr Zelenskyy talked about retaking the region "step-by-step".[5] The Institute for the Study of War stated that the Armed Forces of Ukraine were likely to be either preparing to launch or to have already launched the counteroffensive in Kherson Oblast as of 23 July 2022[update],[6] with presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych officially confirming the start of the operation on 27 July.[7]
Background
Russian offensive
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Mykolaiv_Regional_State_Administration_after_Russian_shelling%2C_29.03.2022_%2810%29.jpg/220px-Mykolaiv_Regional_State_Administration_after_Russian_shelling%2C_29.03.2022_%2810%29.jpg)
During the 2022 Southern Ukraine offensive, Russian troops invaded the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv Oblasts. In the early days of the war, Russian troops captured several cities in Southern Ukraine, including Melitopol and Kherson,[8][9] pushing Ukrainian troops back to the city of Mykolaiv in an attempt to reach Odessa from the southeast, though Russian forces were later forced back following the Battle of Voznesensk.[10][11] In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russian troops pushed north, eventually defeating Ukrainian servicemen in the Battle of Enerhodar, seizing the city in addition to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.[12] Russian forces also pushed east, reaching the Donetsk/Zaporizhzhia administrative borders.
Russian occupation
Russian forces began a civil-military occupation of Kherson Oblast on 2 March.[13] Occupation authorities reportedly erected a statue of Vladimir Lenin in the town square, introduced Russian curriculum to the local school system, rerouted internet servers to Russia, issued Russian passports, and began circulating the Ruble.[14] By early July, Russia controlled 95% of Kherson and 70% of Zaporizhzhia.[15] Allegedly, hundreds of civilians were abducted by Russian authorities in the two regions.[16][17]
In late May, Russian government officials acknowledged the plans to annex both oblasts and were reportedly setting conditions on occupied territory within Zaporizhzhia.[18] A referendum was reportedly planned by Russian occupation authorities in the region for late 2022 to annex Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts,[19] however officials soon moved the date forwards to autumn[20][21] amidst fear of being set back by the Ukrainian Army, according to U.K. intelligence officials.[22] This referendum was described as a "sham" by many Western news outlets and government officials.[23][24]
Ukrainian counterattacks
Prior to 9 July Ukraine conducted numerous small counterattacks on Russian forces, forcing them into defensive positions.[25] By 11 March the Russian offensive had stalled on numerous fronts within Mykolaiv Oblast, prompting gradual retreat by the end of the month.[26] In April, Ukrainian authorities announced to have pushed the enemy southwards to the border with Kherson Oblast.[27]
On 18 April, Russian, DPR, and LPR forces launched the Battle of Donbas, triggering a necessary relocation of most of their armies to the east.[28] The Ukrainian military took advantage of this[29] and pushed on their former positions in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts. Ukrainian counterattacks forced Russian troops out of several fortified positions set along the southern border of the Inhulets River.[30] In late May, Ukraine was already launching minor counterattacks on the border between Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk Oblasts.[31]
By 1 June, the Institute for the Study of War had assessed that Ukrainian counterattacks in Kherson Oblast had successfully reached and disrupted Russian ground lines of communication along the Inhulets River.[32] Throughout June, small parts of northwestern Kherson and northern Zaporizhzha oblasts were regained by Ukrainian forces, with fierce fighting occurring around Davydiv Brid; however, the main line of Russian defenses did not retreat as initially planned.[33] By 25 July, the region's military governor claimed that Ukraine had retaken 44 towns and villages, or 15 percent of the region's territory.[34]
Partisan warfare
There were numerous reports of partisan warfare within the occupied territories. In the city of Melitopol, Ukrainian resistance leaders had claimed to have killed 100 Russian troops by 5 June.[35] In Kherson, Ukrainian resistance fighters bombed a café frequented by Russian troops, killing Russian collaborators and destroying Russian military infrastructure.[36] There were also reports of railroad tracks being destroyed and bridges being blown up to cut ammunition and enemy troops support.
Prelude
Ukrainian officials first hinted at a large-scale military offensive in mid-to-late June, saying that "visible results" should be expected from Ukrainian counteroffensives by August 2022.[37] A Ukrainian general stated on 15 June that if Ukraine were granted weapons, it would be able to mount a massive counteroffensive by the summer.[38]
On 5 July, Ukraine launched a major bombing campaign against Russian outposts in Melitopol, reportedly killing 200 soldiers.[39]On 7 July, Ukraine retook Snake Island,[40] affording Ukraine access to valuable sea channels and grain export lanes.[41][42]
Meanwhile, Russia tried to strengthen its hold on Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts. Russia stated that babies born in Kherson Oblast would automatically receive Russian citizenship, implying that Kherson was a part of the Russian Federation.[43]
Announcements of operations
In the morning of 9 July, Ukrainian government authorities began to urge residents of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts to evacuate from their homes due to an impending Ukrainian counteroffensive.[44] Residents of occupied Kherson in particular were urged to create shelters to "survive the Ukrainian counteroffensive".[45] Iryna Vereshchuk, Ukrainian deputy prime minister and Minister of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, warned of intense fighting and shelling in the upcoming days, claiming that the "ZSU is coming".[46][47]
On 9 July, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered the Ukrainian military, including elements of OC South, to retake occupied territory.[48][49] On the same day, Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov stated that Ukraine was amassing a million-strong fighting force for the offensive.[50] Later Reznikov said that there was a misunderstanding during his interview, and that 1 million is the total number of people that serve in the Ukrainian military, police etc. Also, he claimed that there is no "specific offensive operation".[51]
On 24 July, Serhiy Khlan, a Kherson region official, stated that "the Kherson region will definitely be liberated by September, and all the occupiers' plans will fail."[4]
Early engagements
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Ukrainian_bombardment_of_the_Russian_arsenal_in_Mykolaiv%2C_July_13%2C_2022.png/220px-Ukrainian_bombardment_of_the_Russian_arsenal_in_Mykolaiv%2C_July_13%2C_2022.png)
On 11 July, the Ukrainian army reported that it had recaptured the village of Ivanivka in Kherson Oblast.[52] Ukrainian troops struck Nova Kakhovka, a Russian command post in Kherson city, with HIMARS missiles, and claimed it killed 12 officers and a Russian major general.[53][54] By the afternoon, Ukrainian authorities claimed that Russian forces were transferring equipment to the left bank of the Dnieper, creating roadblocks within Kherson city in preparation for street battles.[55] Ukrainian authorities urged civilians in Zaporizhzhia Oblast to evacuate, suggesting that a major counteroffensive is underway.[56]
On 12 July, Ukraine struck numerous military targets and infrastructure.[57][58]
On 13 July, the head of the Kherson regional military administration claimed that Ukraine launched counterattacks along the entire Mykolaiv-Kherson-Zaporizhzhia front line.[59]
On 14 July, Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian ammunition depot in Radensk (approximately 26 km southeast of Kherson City) and unspecified Russian positions in Nova Kakhovka. Ukraine continued to strike Russian targets and approach towards Kherson over the next week. [60]
Preparation phase
According to a 24 July statement by Kherson Region official Serhiy Khlan, Ukrainian attacks damaging Antonivka Road Bridge[61] and another key bridge, and attacks on Russian ammunition stores and command posts, were preparatory actions for the offensive.[4] A day earlier, Khlan stated that Ukrainian forces had retaken several villages in Kherson Oblast, but that the Ukrainian authorities requested civilians not to publish information on the progress of the campaign prior to official statements.[6] On 26 July, Antonivka Road Bridge was hit again by a Ukrainian HIMARS missile strike. The bridge remained structurally intact while the bridge's roadway surface was damaged.[62]
Counteroffensive
On 27 July 2022, Ukrainian forces stated that they had retaken control of the villages of Lozove and Andriivka in Beryslav Raion in Kherson Oblast.[63]
Casualties
Military casualties
Russia offered sporadic casualty claims for Ukrainian forces. The Ukrainian Operational Command South offered daily estimates of Russian casualties.
Breakdown | Casualties | Time period | Source |
---|---|---|---|
Ukrainian forces (ZSU, NHU) |
Unknown | ||
Russian forces | 312+ killed 11+ captured |
27 July - 2 August 2022 | Ukrainian Southern Command[64] |
See also
- Battle of Kherson
- Russian occupation of Kherson Oblast
- Battle of Melitopol
- Russian occupation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast
References
- ^ "Ukraine's army is waging its 1st major offensive against Russia to retake Kherson". NPR.org.
- ^ Psaropoulos, John. "Ukraine plans on summer counteroffensive to oust Russian forces". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Russia withdraws from Snake Island as Ukraine fights back in the south". NBC News. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ a b c "Ukraine's Kherson to Be 'Liberated' From Russia By September – Official". The Moscow Times. AFP. 24 July 2022. Archived from the original on 24 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ "Can Ukrainian forces recapture Kherson from Russia?". the Guardian. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
- ^ a b "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 23". Institute for the Study of War. 23 July 2022. Archived from the original on 24 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ "Russia-Ukraine war latest: five killed and 25 injured in Russian strike on Kropyvnytskyi". the Guardian. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
- ^ Shots Fired In Ukrainian City As Locals Protest Against Russian Occupation, retrieved 14 July 2022
- ^ Mirovalev, Mansur. "Ukrainians question the ease of Russian capture of Kherson". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ Glinski, Stefanie. "Russia's Road to Odesa Runs Through Mykolaiv". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine's Mykolaiv holds the line against Russian forces and delays assault on Odessa". Washington Post. 15 March 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "What happened at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and what are the implications?". The Nuclear Threat Initiative. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Kherson: How is Russia imposing its rule in occupied Ukraine?". BBC News. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ hedvig.pettersson@ui.se. "The Russian Occupation of Ukraine's Southern Regions". Sceeus. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "A creeping annexation. Russia's plans to partition Ukraine". OSW Centre for Eastern Studies. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ Siddiqui, Arwa Ibrahim,Sasha Petrova,Ali Harb,Jillian Kestler-D'Amours,Usaid. "Ukraine latest updates: 600 Ukrainians held captive in Kherson". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "ACLED Regional Overview - Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia (4 - 10 June 2022) - Ukraine | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, JUNE 29". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ Reuters (8 June 2022). "Russian proxies plan vote in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region on joining Russia". Reuters. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
{{cite news}}
:|last=
has generic name (help) - ^ "Russia intends to annex Kherson in southern Ukraine". NPR.org. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Russia Moving Forward With 'Referendum' Plans in Occupied Southern Ukraine, Says Kherson Mayor". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Russia plans to annex Kherson region by autumn: UK intel". www.punjabnewsexpress.com. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Occupied Ukrainian city fears sham Russian referendum plans". AP NEWS. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Russia eyes 'sham referendum' in Kherson, U.S. and Ukrainian officials say". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Контрнаступ ЗСУ на Херсонщині зриває плани Росії - ISW". glavred.net (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Battle for Mykolaiv: 'We are winning this fight, but not this war'". BBC News. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Mykolaiv region on edge amid fear of a new Russian offensive". The Washington Post. 9 April 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Battle of Donbas begins: Why Russia has turned its attention to east of Ukraine". Firstpost. 20 April 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ Ellyatt, Holly (19 April 2022). "Battle for Donbas: 3 reasons why Russia is shifting its war machine to east Ukraine". CNBC. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Institute for the Study of War". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine pushes back against Russian forces on Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia border". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Institute for the Study of War". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ Journal, Thomas Grove | Photographs by Guillaume Binet/MYOP for The Wall Street (26 June 2022). "In Ukraine's South, Counterattacks Offer Kyiv Hope for Turning Back Russia". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ Schwirtz, Michael; Berehulak, Daniel (25 July 2022). "Eyeing a City Captured by Russia, Ukraine Prepares an Ambitious Counterattack". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine's partisans are hitting Russian soldiers behind their own lines". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Growing partisan movement of Kherson Oblast now bombs collaborators".
- ^ Reuters (25 June 2022). "Ukraine should see impact of Kherson counterattack from August, spy chief says". Reuters. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
{{cite news}}
:|last=
has generic name (help) - ^ "If Ukraine is given the weapons it needs, a counteroffensive can be mounted by end of summer – Ukrainian general". Ukrayinska Pravda. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "About 200 invaders eliminated at military base in Melitopol – mayor". www.ukrinform.net. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Ukraine says retaking Snake Island is a warning to Russia – as it happened | DW | 08.07.2022". DW.COM. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Navigation via Danube-Black Sea Canal resumes following liberation of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ Pryma, Andrew (10 July 2022). "Due to the recapture of Snake Island, the passage of grain ships has reopened". UBN. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ Santora, Marc (16 June 2022). "Moscow says babies born in occupied Kherson will automatically get Russian citizenship". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ Hunder, Max (10 July 2022). "Ukraine tells residents to leave occupied south due to counter-attack plans". Reuters. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Residents of Kherson Oblast are urged to prepare shelters to "survive the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine"". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ Dress, Brad (10 July 2022). "Ukraine urges evacuation in southern Kherson region ahead of counterattack". The Hill. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ ""ЗСУ іде": мешканців Херсонщини закликали триматися подалі від скупчень ворожих сил". www.unian.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Zelenskyy orders Ukrainian Armed Forces to recapture southern Ukraine Ukraines Minister of Defence". www.yahoo.com. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Reznikov: Zelensky Had Ordered Ukraine's Army to Liberate Ukraine's Coast. ... – Latest Tweet by The Kyiv Independent | 🌎 LatestLY". LatestLY. 11 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ Tucker, Maxim (10 July 2022). "Ukraine has one million ready for fightback to recapture south". The Times. Archived from the original on 10 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Олексій Резніков: "Закінчити війну до кінця року абсолютно можливо"". BBC News Україна.
- ^ "Ukraine Says It Recaptured Village in Occupied Kherson Region". 11 July 2022.
- ^ Magramo, Kathleen; Raine, Andrew; Guy, Jack; Upright, Ed (11 July 2022). "Ukraine claims "precise hit" on Russian military unit in occupied Kherson". CNN. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Удар ЗСУ по Херсонщині: з'явилася інформація про ліквідацію російського генерала". www.unian.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Росіяни у Херсоні посилюють блокпости та готуються до вуличних боїв – ОВА". www.unian.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Мешканців Запорізької області просять виїхати з окупованих територій та зони бойових дій". www.unian.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Russia blames Ukraine for casualties in occupied Kherson". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine attacks Russian-held Kherson, plans counterattack". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- ^ Magramo, Kathleen; Guy, Jack; Upright, Ed (12 July 2022). "Russian forces prepare to renew offensive in Donbas, as Ukraine attacks in the south". CNN. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, JULY 15". Institute for the Study of War. 15 July 2022.
- ^ Somerville, Ewan; Vasilyeva, Nataliya; Parekh, Marcus; Millimaci, Grace (19 July 2022). "Himars missiles strike key Russian-held bridge in Kherson". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 24 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine strikes Antonivskyi Bridge essential for Russian supply lines in occupied south". CBS News.
- ^ Varennikova, Maria; Bigg, Matthew Mpoke (27 July 2022). "Ukraine hits a key bridge in Kherson as Russia steps up missile strikes across the south". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 27 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ 66 killed (27 July) [1] 36 killed (28 July) [2] 105 killed (29 July) [3] 33 killed (30 July) [4] 20 killed, 11+ captured (31 July) [5] 32 killed (1 August) [6] 20 killed (2 August) [7], 323+ killed, captured claimed by Ukraine