Thread by @NOELreports

SitRep - 18/10 - "An organized evacuation"

The vein was in the tail today. #Russia announced that it would voluntarily but with some encouragement evacuate all citizens and agencies to the other side of the #Dnipr.

I also zoom in on #Kherson #Bakhmut #Svatove and #Kreminna

1/X

We start with #Russian losses. We passed the 65.000 mark and are now steadily climbing towards 70.000. The daily rate on men losses are stable between 350-500 a day.

During the day, units of the Defense Forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of settlements: #Ohirtseve, Kharkiv oblast; #Bilohorivka, Luhansk oblast; #Novokalynove and #Maryinka, Donetsk oblast.

Early this morning local authorities in #Kyiv, #Zhytomyr, #Dnipro, #Kharkiv, #Mykolayiv, and #Zaporizhzhia report explosions as Russia again launched Shahed-136 drones and missiles toward Ukraine. Air alert was active throughout Ukraine.

In #Dnipro, the AFU shot down 4 cruise missiles.

This morning up to 10am, the AFU has shot down:

➡️6 Shahed-136 kamikaze drones
➡️4 Kalibr cruise-missiles
➡️1 X-101/X-555 cruise-missile
➡️1 SU-25 attack aircraft.

We don't have the full numbers by the end of the day, report on that tomorrow.

Ukrainian forces have just shot down an enemy Su-25 over the #Kherson region this morning, - OK "Pivden"

A rumour of demoralized units of the 88th separate battalion of marines from #Odesa was corrected.

Greece will deliver 40 BMP-1's to Ukraine.

Also 🇺🇦 will officially ask 🇮🇱 for the transfer of air defense systems, - Foreign Minister Kuleba

"Today a note will be sent to 🇮🇱 with a request to immediately provide 🇺🇦 with air defense systems and begin highquality cooperation in obtaining appropriate technology for 🇺🇦"

NATO plans to hand over to Ukraine in the coming days hundreds of active jamming stations to combat drones, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.

#Kherson: "The big retreat is coming?"

➡️No map changes
➡️Russia shelled #Bruskynske, #Dudchany
➡️🇷🇺 42nd Motor Rifle Division together with airborne units from the 76th Guards Air Assault Division from Pskov complain about losses
➡️#NovaKahkovka crossings alledgedly destroyed

At first it were just rumours but around 8pm, so called head of the Kherson region Saldo adressed the residents living under occupation. He ordered all of them including government offices to be evacuated to the eastbank of the Dnipr River.

Reason given:

"An immediate risk of flooding of the territories due to the planned destruction of the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station and the discharge of water from the cascade of power plants upstream of the Dnipr."

Gen. Surovikin about #Kherson during a TV interview:

"Further actions regarding Kherson will depend on the emerging military-tactical situation, it is not easy, difficult decisions cannot be ruled out".

Right after that panic emerged in Russian social channels and groups. Expecting another retreat and losing another front just like they were squeezed out of #Kharkiv. Some were also a bit overoptimistic about the situation.. 🤥🤥

#Svatove: "More activity..😉"

➡️Russia shelled Berestove, Hryanykivka, Dvorichna, Kamianka, Krasne, Kyslivka, Kotlyarivka, Stelmakhivka
➡️Yesterday's reports about a 🇷🇺 counterattack on #Kyslivka were not confirmed. It was shelled by RU today, so unlikely.
➡️AFU shelled #Svatove

#Bakhmut: "Situation remains tense"

➡️No map changes
➡️Russia keeps attacking and shelling Opytne, Bakhmuts'ke and Soledar. Also heavy fighting around Ivanhrad but the AFU hasn't moved an inch. These guys are battle hardened heroes.

#Kreminna: "Consolidating and repelling"

➡️No map changes
➡️Russia shelled #Torske, #Zarichne
➡️Russian forces keep attacking NW of #Kreminna. AFU has a defensive line there. Most likely these attacks are ment to give the units inside Kreminna extra time for defensive positions

That's all for today. If you like my reporting and mapping you can support me via buymeacoffee.com/noelreports.

We are already at 165 supporters. Can we grow to 200? I would really appreciate that! Thanks for all the new supports 🥳

Tomorrow more updates and more maps.

Cheers,
NOËL