Ukraine/Russland/NATO – der Sammler am 3. Dezember 2022

Zum andauernden russischen Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine der Sammler am 3. Dezember 2022:

• Nachgetragen vom (gestrigen) Freitag: Das Statement der Internationalen Atomenergieagentur zur Lage der Atomkraftwerke in der Ukraine:

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) carried out a nuclear safety and security mission to the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (SUNPP) this week as it steps up its efforts to help prevent a nuclear accident during the current armed conflict in the country, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.
Requested by Ukraine, it was part of a suite of IAEA missions to provide on-site assistance and support in nuclear safety and security to the country’s nuclear power plants (NPPs), including the SUNPP as well as the Rivne and Khmelnitsky NPPs, and the Chornobyl site to which the IAEA sent a mission last week.
Director General Grossi met Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Bucharest on Tuesday confirming that the IAEA will strengthen its presence at these NPPs. The Director General led a high-level IAEA delegation to the SUNPP in late March. This week’s mission was the first time a team of experts stayed at the site for several days to acquire a better understanding of the nuclear safety and security situation and of the plant’s needs.
At Ukraine’s largest NPP, Zaporizhzhya, the IAEA has been continuously present for the past three months, currently with a team of four experts.
During the mission to the SUNPP, the IAEA team met plant management and staff and conducted walkdowns and interviews in the areas of nuclear and radiation safety, nuclear security, emergency preparedness and response, and logistics and communications.
The IAEA experts observed that the SUNPP staff continue to operate the plant with high professionalism and in accordance with the design and in compliance with the approved operational license, in particular with operational procedures and safety limits, despite the very challenging conditions arising from the armed conflict in Ukraine, with numerous air raid warnings.
The IAEA team also learned more about the loss of external power on 23 November, and the subsequent shutdown of the two operating units, that resulted from attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The site’s diesel generators were able to provide power to maintain nuclear safety and security systems, but there were some plant challenges and there was also an impact on on-site and off-site communications.
The team also assessed logistics and spare parts management and reviewed the list of support equipment earlier requested through the Ukraine regulator. This led to a better understanding of site needs and how the IAEA can provide further assistance with regard to nuclear safety and security.
The IAEA team’s assessments will help inform the follow-up missions to the SUNPP to provide the Agency’s continuing assistance and support. The IAEA’s initial missions to the Rivne and Khmelnitsky plants will take place next week.
With regard to ZNPP, the site continues to receive off-site power through a single 750 kilovolt (kV) external power line, with one 330kV back up line from the nearby thermal power plant switchyard available.
In addition, ZNPP site management has informed the IAEA team that they had received information from Rosatom that a further 330kV power line to the thermal power plant switchyard is being repaired and should be ready soon as an additional back-up power line in case of loss of the 750kV and 330 kV power lines that are routed from Ukraine controlled territory. It was also reported by site management that a further two power 330kV power lines may also be restored, but no deadline was given. There is no information regarding any plans to restore any of the lost 750kV power lines.
Up to 70 mobile diesel boilers are being gradually deployed in the nearby city of Enerhodar to provide for heating of communal buildings, houses and flats. Currently, these boilers operate at a local school, kindergarten and the hospital. Up to seven mobile diesel boilers are being deployed on the ZNPP site to heat buildings at the site. One has arrived and a further three will arrive today.
Four of the reactor units remain in cold shutdown, while the two other units are in hot shutdown – enabling them to provide steam to the plant and heat to Enerhodar. The city also continues to receive electricity from the off-site power lines through the ZNPP and thermal power plant switchyards system.
This week it was announced on site and by the Russian Federation that ZNPP’s Chief Engineer Yuri Chernichuk has been appointed as plant director. The Ukraine operator Energoatom has rejected this appointment and has appointed Dmytro Verbytskyi as acting director general of the plant, and Igor Murashow as chief engineer, who are not on the site.
Director General Grossi reiterated that the IAEA regards ZNPP as a Ukrainian facility, and he expressed concern about the decision-making situation showing open contradictions regarding the chain of command at the plant, which could have a negative impact on nuclear safety and security.
There has been no shelling on the ZNPP site itself since 20 November but there has been some shelling in the vicinity of the site. Work to repair the damage caused by the shelling onsite continues, including the completion of the repair of a power cable to one of the site’s 20 diesel generators.
Director General Grossi continues to engage in high-level discussions with both Ukraine and Russia aimed at agreeing and implementing a nuclear safety and security protection zone around the ZNPP as soon as possible.
In mid-November, the fourth delivery of equipment to Ukraine’s nuclear facilities, organized by the IAEA through its Response and Assistance Network (RANET), arrived in Ukraine comprising of personal protective equipment, contamination monitors and detectors. The delivery was made possible by a donation from France’s ORANO and EDF.

• Das britische Intel Update:

Russian forces continue to invest a large element of their overall military effort and firepower along an approximately 15km long sector of entrenched front line around the Donetsk Oblast town of Bakhmut.
Russia’s plan is likely to encircle the town with tactical advances to the north and south.
In recent days, Russia has highly likely made small advances on the southern axis of this assault, where it is seeking to consolidate limited bridgeheads to the west of the boggy ground around the minor Bakhmutka River.
Russia has prioritised Bakhmut as its main offensive effort since early August 2022. The capture of the town would have limited operational value although it would potentially allow Russia to threaten the larger urban areas of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
However, the campaign has been disproportionately costly relative to these possible gains. There is a realistic possibility that Bakhmut’s capture has become primarily a symbolic, political objective for Russia.

• Das Morgenbriefing des ukrainischen Generalstabs:

Operational update regarding the russian invasion as of 06:00, on December 3, 2022
The two hundred eighty-third (283) day of the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people to a russian military large-scale invasion continues.
The enemy does not stop striking civilian infrastructure. Offensive actions continue in the Avdiivka and Bakhmut areas. The movement of personnel and military equipment of the occupiers to equip units that have suffered losses continues.
Over the past day, units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine have repelled attacks by russian invaders in the areas of the settlements of Chervonopopivka in the Luhansk oblast and Soledar, Opytne, Nevelske, Krasnohorivka and Maryinka in the Donetsk oblast.
At the same time, the adversary launched 5 missile strikes, 27 air strikes and 44 MLRS attacks against civilian infrastructure and positions of our military along the contact line.
There is still a threat of enemy missile strikes on the objects of the energy system and critical infrastructure throughout the territory of Ukraine.
In the Volyn and Polissya directions, the situation has not changed significantly, no sign of the formation of enemy offensive groups has been detected.
The republic of belarus continues to support the armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine, also, the training of individual units of the armed forces of the russian federation is taking place on its training grounds.
In the Slobozhanskyi direction , shelling from artillery of various types was found in the areas of the settlements of Strilecha, Neskuchne, Ternova, Starytsa, Ohirtseve and Chernyakiv of the Kharkiv oblast.
The enemy is defending in the Kupyansk and Lyman directions. It carried out shelling from tanks and the entire range of artillery in the areas of Sinkivka and Tabaivka settlements in the Kharkiv region and Novoselivske, Stelmakhivka, Makiivka and Ploshchanka in the Luhansk oblast. There were airstrikes on Novoselivske and Ivanivka.
In the Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions, the occupiers are concentrating their main efforts on conducting offensive actions. Shelling from tanks, mortars, barrel and jet artillery was reported on objects in the areas of Bilohorivka, Yakovlivka, Soledar, Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Kurdyumivka, Druzhba, Opytne, Avdiivka, Vodyane, Nevelske, Krasnohorivka, Maryinka, and Novomykhailivka settlements of the Donetsk oblast. The enemy also carried out airstrikes near the settlements of Verkhnokamianske, Soledar and Spirne.
The enemy is conducting defensive operations in the Novopavlivsk direction. The areas of Velyka Novosilka, Vuhledar, Prechistivka and Zolota Niva of the Donetsk oblast were shelled with artillery.
The enemy is on the defensive in the Zaporizhzhia direction. It carried out tank and artillery shelling in the areas of settlements of Olhivske, Malynivka, Chervone, Ternuvate, Charivne, Hulyaipole and Kamianska Zaporizhzhia oblast.
In the Kherson direction, the occupiers are defending previously occupied lines. Fire from artillery of various types striked he positions of our troops in the areas of Dudchany, Tyahynka, Ivanivka and Dniprovske settlements of the Kherson oblast. The occupiers do not stop shelling the suburbs and the city of Kherson.
The enemy continues to suffer losses. For example, in the city of Tokmak, Zaporizhzhia oblast, more than ten cars with wounded servicemen and the bodies of dead residents arrived at the doctor’s office.
Aviation of the Defense Forces in the current current day struck 17 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment and 3 strikes on the positions of the enemy’s anti-aircraft missile systems.
Over the past day, our soldiers shot down an enemy helicopter and 6 unmanned aerial vehicles of the „Orlan-10“ type.
At the same time, Ukrainian rocket launchers and gunners hit 5 control points, 2 ammunition depots, 11 areas of concentration of personnel and military armament and technics and 4 other important objects of the russian occupiers.

• Das Briefing des russischen Verteidigungsministeriums:

Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine (3 December 2022)
The Russian Federation Armed Forces continue the special military operation.
In Kupyansk direction, the enemy’s attempt to attack Kuzemovka (Lugansk People’s Republic) was foiled by pre-emptive strikes by army aircraft, artillery fire and heavy firing systems. Up to 60 Ukrainian soldiers, two tanks, an infantry fighting vehicle, three armoured personnel carriers, and four pickup trucks were destroyed.
In Krasny Liman direction, an attempt by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to attack in the direction of Kolomychikha and Zhytlovka (Lugansk People’s Republic) has been thwarted. As a result of army aviation and artillery fire, enemy units were halted and dispersed. More than 30 Ukrainian personnel, two infantry fighting vehicles, and three Kozak armoured vehicles were destroyed.
In Donetsk direction, the AFU made unsuccessful attempts to restore the position of their troops in the areas of Andreevka, Kurdyumovka, Avdeevka, and Marynka (Donetsk People’s Republic). Up to 60 Ukrainian personnel, two tanks, and five armoured fighting vehicles were destroyed in 24 hours as a result of the shelling.
In South Donetsk direction, the enemy attempted to counterattack in the areas of Sladkoye, Shevchenko, and Novomayorske (Donetsk People’s Republic). The AFU units were halted by air strikes and artillery fire and pushed back to their initial positions. The enemy’s losses in this direction amounted to up to 40 Ukrainian personnel killed and wounded. Two infantry fighting vehicles and five pickup trucks were destroyed.
Operational-Tactical and Army Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery struck three enemy command posts in the areas of Kupyansk (Kharkov region), Svyatogorsk and Konstantinovka (Donetsk People’s Republic). Moreover, 74 artillery units in firing positions, manpower, and military equipment in 195 areas were engaged.
Two temporary locations of foreign mercenaries were hit close to Kramatorsk (Donetsk People’s Republic). A US-made AN/TPQ-37 counterbattery radar station was destroyed near Kaleniki (Donetsk People’s Republic). Two storage sites for missile and artillery weapons and ammunition for the AFU have been destroyed near Tabayevka (Kharkov region) and Primorskoye (Zaporizhye region).
Fighter aviation of Russian Aerospace Forces has shot down 1 Mi-8 airplane of Ukrainian Air Force near Selidovo (Donetsk People’s Republic).
Ten Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by air defence forces in the areas of Golikovo (Lugansk People’s Republic), Peski, Kirillovka, Nikolskoye, Novotroitskoye, Yegorovka, and Olginka (Donetsk People’s Republic). In addition, eight HIMARS and Olkha MLRS rounds were intercepted close to Popasnaya and Lisichansk (Lugansk People’s Republic), Novopetrikovka, Volnovakha, and Kuybyshevo (Donetsk People’s Republic).
In total, 336 airplanes and 178 helicopters, 2,609 unmanned aerial vehicles, 391 air defence missile systems, 6,970 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 908 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 3,652 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 7,450 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

• Das Abendbriefing des ukrainischen Generalstabs:

The operational update regarding the russian invasion on 18.00, on December 3, 2022
The two-hundred-eighty-third (283) day of the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people to a russian military large-scale invasion continues.
The enemy concentrates its efforts on restraining the actions of units of the Defense Forces, carries out engineering equipment of defensive lines and positions. On the Avdiyivka and Bakhmut directions, the offensive continues and actively uses aviation to support ground groups.
During the day, the occupiers launched 2 rocket and 10 air strikes, as well as fired 3 MLRS attacks at the positions of our troops and settlements along the contact line. In particular, a civil infrastructure object in the city of Kramatorsk was hit by a missile.
There is still a threat of missile strikes on the objects of the energy system and critical infrastructure throughout the territory of Ukraine.
In the Volyn and Polissya directions, the situation has not changed significantly, and no signs of the formation of enemy offensive groups have been detected. Certain units of the Armed Forces of the republic of belarus continue to perform tasks in the areas bordering Ukraine.
In the Slobozhanskyi direction, the enemy continues to hold his troops in the border areas of the Belgorod region. Areas of settlements of Odnorobivka, Strilecha, Neskuchne, Ternova, Starytsa, Ohirtseve, Chernyakiv and Chuhunivka of the Kharkiv oblast were shelled by artillery of various calibers.
The enemy is defending in the Kupyansk and Lyman directions. It carried out shelling from tanks, mortars, barrel and jet artillery in the areas of Sinkivka, Tabaivka, Berestove and Vyshneve settlements in the Kharkiv oblast and Makiivka and Ploshanka in the Luhansk oblast.
In the Bakhmut and Avdiivka areas, the enemy is concentrating its main efforts on conducting offensive actions, trying to improve its tactical position. Areas of the settlements of Serebryanka, Bilohorivka, Yakovlivka, Soledar, Bakhmut, Bila Hora, Kurdyumivka, Opytne, Avdiivka, Vodyane, Nevelske, Krasnohorivka, Maryinka, and Novomykhailivka in Donetsk oblast were shelled by tanks, mortars, barrel and jet artillery.
The enemy is defending in the Novopavlivsk direction. The areas of Velyka Novosilka, Vuhledar, Prechystivka and Zolota Nyva of the Donetsk oblast were shelled with artillery.
The enemy is also conducting defensive operations in the Zaporizhzhia direction. It carried out artillery shelling of the districts of more than ten settlements, which are close to the contact line, in particular, Orikhiv of the Zaporizhzhia oblast.
In the Kherson direction, the enemy is defending previously captured lines. Fires from mortars, barrel and rocket artillery positions of our troops and liberated settlements of the Kherson oblast. The shelling of the suburbs and the city of Kherson does not stop.
The enemy continues to suffer losses. Thus, on December 2, as a result of fire damage to the enemy concentration area in the city of Starobilsk, Luhansk oblast, the enemy lost about 30 servicemen wounded and 14 killed.
During December 2, in the Melitopol and Vasyliv districts of the Zaporizhzhia oblast, the occupiers lost more than 270 people wounded. Information about the dead is being clarified.
During the current day, the aviation of the Defense Forces made 13 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment, as well as a strike on the position of the anti-aircraft missile complex of the occupiers.
Also, an enemy plane was shot down near the settlement of Pidhorodne, Donetsk oblast. Information about its type is being clarified.
Units of missile forces and artillery of the Defense Forces of Ukraine hit 2 control points, an ammunition depot, and 2 areas of concentration of enemy personnel and armament and military technics.