2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive

2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive
Part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine; 31 December 2023.svg

The frontline on 31 December 2023
Date4 June[1][2][3][a] – December 2023
(6 months)
Location
South Ukraine (Kherson Oblast, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Crimea) and East Ukraine (Donetsk Oblast)
Result Ukrainian operational failure[4][5][6]
Territorial
changes		 Ukraine recaptures 14 villages[b] in Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk Oblasts.
Belligerents
Ukraine Ukraine Russia Russia
Commanders and leaders
Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi
Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi
Ukraine Oleksandr Tarnavskyi
Russia Valeriy Gerasimov
Russia Aleksandr Khodakovsky
Russia Mikhail Teplinsky
Russia Ivan Popov
Units involved

 Armed Forces of Ukraine

 Russian Armed Forces

Strength
Estimates vary, see § Strengths
Casualties and losses
Heavy Heavy
For more details, see § Casualties and losses

In early June 2023, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine launched a counteroffensive against Russian forces occupying its territory with a goal of breaching the front lines.[38][39][40][41][42] Efforts were made in many directions, primarily in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. In total, Ukraine recaptured 14 villages in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, with a total pre-war population of around 5,000. The counteroffensive was widely regarded as a crucial moment in the war.[43]

Planning for a major Ukrainian counteroffensive had begun as early as February 2023, with the original intention being to launch it in the spring.[44] However, various factors, including weather and late weapon deliveries to Ukraine, delayed it to summer, as it had not been deemed safe to progress.[45][46][47] Russia had begun preparing for the counteroffensive since November 2022 and had created extensive defensive infrastructure, including ditches, trenches, artillery positions, and landmines intended to slow the counteroffensive.[48][49][50] Ukraine met well-established Russian defenses in the early days of the counteroffensive and after that slowed their pacing in order to assess the extent of Russian defenses, demine territory, save troops, and exhaust Russia's military resources.[51] They made incremental gains by capturing over 370 km2 of territory, less than half of what Russia captured in all of 2023.[52]

Almost five months after its start, prominent Ukrainian figures and Western analysts began giving negative assessments of the counteroffensive; statements by Ukrainian general Valerii Zaluzhnyi in early November 2023 that the war was a "stalemate" were seen by observers as an admission of failure.[53] Rigorous assessments made by analysts followed, especially with regard to operational success, from several weeks earlier.[54] That same month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated the war would be entering a new phase.[55] Ukrainian forces did not reach the city of Tokmak, described as a "minimum goal" by Ukrainian general Oleksandr Tarnavskyi,[56] and the probable initial objective of reaching the Sea of Azov to split the Russian forces in southern Ukraine remained unfulfilled.[57][58][6] By early December 2023, the counteroffensive was generally considered to be stalled or failed by multiple international media outlets.[59][60][61][62][63][5]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference thwarted was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Hird, Karolina; Barros, George; Mappes, Grace; Wolkov, Nicole; Clark, Mason; Kagan, Fredrick W. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 8, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
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  4. ^ Barnes, Julian (11 December 2023). "U.S. and Ukraine Search for a New Strategy After Failed Counteroffensive". The New York Times. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
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  7. ^ Lovett, Ian; Walker, Marcus; Luxmoore, Matthew (11 June 2023). "Ukraine's Offensive Begins with Ground Gained, Tanks Lost". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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  11. ^ Axe, David (26 June 2023). "There Are Fancy Ukrainian Brigades—Then There's the 31st Mechanized. The Unassuming Unit Just Pulled a Daring Maneuver". Forbes. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  12. ^ Axe, David (13 September 2023). "Ukraine's 42nd Brigade Has The Best Stryker Fighting Vehicles—And The Worst MT-LB Fighting Vehicles, Too". Forbes. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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  15. ^ Axe, David (15 June 2023). "One Of Ukraine's Meanest Mechanized Brigades Just Joined The Southern Counteroffensive". Forbes. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
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  19. ^ "Ви думаєте, військовим в окопах не страшно? Та вони не відступають, а бʼються", — Скай, боєць зведеного загону "Хижак"
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  23. ^ "At least 12 killed in Russian missile attack on popular meeting place for Canadian volunteers in Ukraine". The Globe and Mail. 28 June 2023. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
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  28. ^ "Discussions in Russia about who is responsible for successes in vicinity of Marinka – ISW". www.pravda.com.ua. Archived from the original on 18 May 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  29. ^ "New Canadian sanctions against Russia target accused 'Butchers of Bucha'". www.cbc.ca. 2 August 2022. Archived from the original on 26 September 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  30. ^ "Russia creating new military formation in Ukraine in face of wartime realities: UK | al Arabiya English". Archived from the original on 22 August 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  31. ^ "Russia's Military Restructuring and Expansion Hindered by the Ukraine War | Institute for the Study of War". Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  32. ^ "Restructuring and Expansion of the Russian Ground Forces Hindered by Ukraine War Requirements". Archived from the original on 6 December 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  33. ^ "Institute for the Study of War". Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
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  37. ^ "Attacked from Both Sides: Russian Paratroopers Forced Out from Krynky Surroundings, Dnipro River Left Bank". Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  38. ^ "Live updates: Ukraine launches counteroffensive against Russia". The Washington Post. 8 June 2023. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  39. ^ Schmidt, Samantha (8 June 2023). "Ukrainian military begins counteroffensive to oust Russian occupiers". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  40. ^ Schmitt, Eric; Kurmanaev, Anatoly; Kramer, Andrew E. (8 June 2023). "U.S. Official Says Ukrainian Attack in South Appears to Be a Main Thrust of Counteroffensive". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  41. ^ "Ukraine begins counteroffensive against Russia, officials say". ABC News. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  42. ^ Sanchez, Raf; Parafeniuk, Anastasiia; O'Reilly, Bill (8 June 2023). "Ukraine launches counteroffensive against Russia". NBC News. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  43. ^ Vinograd, Cassandra (21 June 2023). "Battling Russia, Ukrainian Leaders Also Fight High Expectations". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
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  58. ^ Kilner, James (15 October 2023). "Ukraine's counter-offensive is a 'disaster', says former Zelensky adviser". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 2 November 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
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