Note to attention — operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 06.00 on August 16, 2023 regarding the Russian invasion of our country.

Glory to Ukraine! The five hundred thirty-ninth day of the large-scale military aggression by the Russian Federation against our state has begun.

Forces of Defense of Ukraine continue conducting offensive operations on the Bakhmut, Melitopol, and Berdyansk axes. During the conduct of offensive actions, subunits of the Forces of Defense of Ukraine seized the populated area of Urozhyane, consolidated at the achieved lines, inflicted artillery fire on identified targets of the enemy, carried out counter-battery measures.

On the Bakhmut axis, forces of defense continue conducting offensive actions south of the city of Bakhmut, consolidating at the achieved lines. Heavy fighting is ongoing.

Last night Russian occupation troops attacked port infrastructure in Odesa with Shahed-136/131 attack drones. Launches of "Shaheds" were carried out in several waves from a southeast direction. Forces and means of the Air Force, together with anti-aircraft defense forces of the Forces of Defense of Ukraine, destroyed 13 enemy drones within Odesa and Mykolaiv regions.

Over the past day, Russian occupiers launched missile attacks on Ukrainian territory using air- and sea-based cruise missiles. In total, at least 28 cruise missiles of various types were fired: four Kh-22 cruise missiles, twenty Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles, and four Kalibr-type cruise missiles. Our anti-aircraft defense destroyed sixteen Kh-101/Kh-555 and "Kalibr" cruise missiles. Additionally, at least eight launches of enemy air-defense guided missiles S-300 and S-400 were recorded in Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Overall over the past day, the enemy delivered 42 missile strikes and 56 aviation attacks, carried out 36 artillery shelling of our troops' positions and populated areas. As a result of Russian terrorist attacks, unfortunately, there are casualties among civilians, including children. Residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were damaged.

The possibility of missile and aviation strikes on the entire territory of Ukraine remains high.

Over the past day, approximately 30 combat engagements took place.

On the Volyn and Polesie axes, the operational situation has not changed significantly.

On the Northern and Slobozhanskyi axes, the enemy carried out aviation strikes in the areas of Atinivka, Yastrubino, Pavlivka Sumy region; Sitne, Shaligine, Stebne, Ugroidi, Popivka Sumy region, and Graniv, Plytenivka, Ohrymivka, Kreidianka, Vylkhuvatka Kharkiv region. Conducted mortar and artillery shelling of over 30 populated areas, including Timonovychi, Hotievka, Gremyach Chernihiv region.

On the Kupyansk axis, the enemy conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in the areas southeast of Vilschaniv and east of Petro-Pavlivka Kharkiv region. Carried out aviation strikes in the areas of Ivanivka, Zagryzovo, Vilschaniv Kharkiv region, and Stelemahyvka Luhansk region. Artillery and mortar shelling by enemy forces affected populated areas such as Kupyansk, Pyskanie, Chorneshchina Kharkiv region.

On the Lyman axis, the enemy carried out aviation strikes in the areas of Bilohorivka Luhansk region and Severna, Spirnoe, Veseloe Donetsk region. Artillery shelling by enemy forces affected populated areas such as Kolodyazhyi and Severna Donetsk region.

On the Bakhmut axis, the enemy carried out aviation strikes in the areas of Vasylkivka, Klyschyivka, Andriyivka, and Pivnichnoye Donetsk region. Over 15 populated areas suffered from enemy artillery shelling, including Minkivka, Hryhorivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Predtechyne, and Dilievka Donetsk region.

On the Avdiyivka axis, the enemy conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in the area south of Avdiyivka Donetsk region. Carried out aviation strikes in the areas of Avdiyivka and Nevelskoye. Artillery shelling affected over 10 populated areas, including Novokalynove, Semenivka, Yasnobrodivka, Karlivka, and Nevelskoe Donetsk region.

On the Mariupol axis, Forces of Defense continue to hold back Russian troops' offensive in the areas of Mariinka and Krasnogorovka Donetsk region. The enemy carried out an aviation strike in the area of Krasnogorovka Donetsk region. Artillery shelling affected over 10 populated areas, including Krasnogorovka, Pobeda, Novomykhailivka, Antonivka, and Yelizavetivka Donetsk region.

On the Shakhtarsk axis, the enemy made unsuccessful attempts to restore lost positions in the area of Urozhyane Donetsk region. Carried out aviation strikes in the areas of Velyka Novosylikha, Makarivka, Stary Mayorovskoye, and Urozhyane Donetsk region. Artillery shelling affected over 10 populated areas, including Bogoyavlenskaya, Zolotaya Niva, Urozhyane, Blagodatne, Neskhuchne, and Rivnopil Donetsk region.

On the Zaporizhzhia axis, the enemy carried out aviation strikes in the areas of Omelyanka, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, and Robotino Zaporizhzhia region. Over 25 populated areas suffered from enemy artillery shelling, including Levadne, Hulyaypole, Bihor'ya, Lukyanyvskoye, Pyatykhatsky, Plevni Zaporizhzhia region.

On the Kherson axis, the enemy carried out aviation strikes in the areas of Mykolayivka and Sadovoe Kherson region. Artillery shelling by enemy forces affected populated areas such as Poniativka, Kherson, Novodmytrivka Kherson region, and Ochakiv Mykolaiv region.

Russian occupiers force residents of temporarily occupied Kherson to vote in Russian fake elections. As a result, in the occupied settlement of Verkhniy Rogachik Kherson region since August 11 this year, in the premises of the district court and former treasury, occupiers have placed Russian election officials who are supposed to ensure an illegal so-called "voting process" within the framework of the program "Single Voting Day," which falls on September 10, 2023, in Russia. These premises are guarded by Chechen terrorists from the Kadyrov detachment "Akhmat."

Against the backdrop of a decrease in combat morale among personnel units of occupation troops, enemy command increasingly resorts to staged filming of their successes. Thus, in the temporarily occupied settlement of Kozatskiy Lageryi Kherson region, preparations for shooting by Russian film crews were recorded for a propaganda video with a scenario about allegedly "destroying 150 Ukrainian military special forces personnel at a local rural cultural house." However, as of August 13 this year, up to 25 Russian occupiers from former Russian prison inmates are based in this building.

Air Force of the Defense Forces carried out seven strikes on areas of concentration of enemy personnel, weapons and military equipment over the past day.

Subunits of rocket forces and artillery inflicted damage to four artillery systems at firing positions, one air defense missile system, and another important target of the enemy during the day.

Overall over the past day, Ukrainian soldiers liquidated 650 Russian occupiers, destroyed eleven tanks, ten armored combat vehicles, twenty-four artillery systems, three anti-aircraft systems, six tactical drones, seventeen cruise missiles, thirty cars, and four units of special equipment.

Believe in the Armed Forces of Ukraine! We will win! Glory to Ukraine!