Shoigu orders Colonel General Rustam Muradov to take Vuhledar - ISW

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reportedly ordered Eastern Military District (EMD) commander, Colonel General Rustam Muradov, to take Vuhledar at any cost to settle widespread criticism within the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) about the lack of progress and significant losses in the Vuhledar area, said US Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Report informs.

ISW previously assessed that Muradov would need new manpower and equipment reserves to follow through on Shoigu's reported instructions, and the one-for-one replacement of the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade by the 136th Motorized Rifle Brigade does not represent a notable fraction of the reinforcements likely required:

"It is still not clear if Shoigu has decided to provide Muradov with the necessary resources to resume offensives, but Muradov may decide that he needs to resume offensive operations regardless to demonstrate his competence as EMD commander."

According to ISW, Russian forces conducted the largest missile strike across Ukraine of 2023 so far on March 9, but the attack likely only served Russian state propaganda objectives:

"Ukrainian military officials reported that Russian forces targeted Ukrainian critical infrastructure with 84 different missiles, including 28 Kh-101/Kh-555 and 20 Kalibr cruise missiles, six Kh-22 anti-ship missiles, six Kh-47 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, two Kh-31P supersonic anti-ship missiles, six Kh-59 guided missiles, and at least 13 S-300 air-defense missiles. Russian forces also attacked Ukraine with eight Iranian-made Shahed–136 drones, which Ukrainian officials noted likely sought to distract Ukrainian air defense systems before the missile strikes. Ukrainian forces reportedly shot down 34 of the 48 Kalibr and Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles and four Shahed-136 drones.Ukrainian officials also noted that all eight of the Kh-31P and Kh-59 missiles did not reach their intended targets."