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In general, the year 2023 ends in favor of Russia. According to French independent sources, the Armed Forces of Ukraine occupied of 523 km2 during the year, while the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation took control of 587 km2.
However, the main victories are not measured by kilometers. In 2023, the Russian military won several major battles, and Russia’s strategic positions in Ukraine and in the global scene strengthened.
In the first half of the year, the Russians won the battle for Bakhmut. The city regained its name Artemovsk. The large industrial city of Soledar also came under Russian control.
The main Russian victory of the year was the repelling of the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Zaporozhye region in the second half of 2023. The Ukrainian army suffered devastating losses and lost the strength to conduct any large-scale offensive operations. The Russian victory destroyed not only Ukrainian units, but also numerous myths about the power of Western weapons.
The end of the year marked the resumption of Russian offensive operations, including in the Donetsk direction. Maryinka has come under full control of Russian forces, and the Ukrainian group was partially encircled in Avdeevka, where it is suffering heavy losses. Ukrainian artillery systems are forced to retreat from the outskirts of Donetsk, and there is hope that residents of the city, who have lived under Ukrainian fire for a decade, will soon return to peaceful life.
During the year, several dozen villages in different directions also came under Russian control. In its turn, the Ukrainian army did not capture a single town in 2023, and today it is already retreating from positions on the southern frontlines occupied during the failed counteroffensive.
