Summary of the Events of the Day
Russia’s tactics seem to be changing. The initial campaign was to take Kyiv and install a pro-Russian government. But that has stalled as Ukraine has held off the enemy on all sides. So, now the emphasis is shifting to the east and south as Russia is trying to take as much of that territory as possible before a deal is reached to end the war with the goal of having as much of Eastern and Southern Ukraine remaining under Russian control. So, the battles for Mariupol, Mykolaiv and eventually Odesa will intensify.
Battle for the Skies
Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian plane over Chuhuiv, 25 miles southeast of Kharkiv, as well as two drones during their defense of Kharkiv. The Russian pilot managed to crash land his plane in Russian territory.
Battle for Kyiv (including Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Zhitomir)
Russian artillery shells hit Sumykhimprom, Ukraine’s biggest ammonia manufacturer, near the village of Novoselytsya just south of Sumy. A poisonous cloud two kilometers high is endangering civilians within a 2.5-kilometer radius.
Shelling of Kyiv continued through the night resulting in the deaths of six civilians. A shopping center in Kyiv was shelled by Russian forces in the morning resulting in the death of eight civilians.
A ceasefire was agreed upon to allow a humanitarian convoy of food and medicine to enter Kharkiv. But Russian forces then ignored the ceasefire and captured the convoy and stole its food and medicine meant for civilians in Kharkiv.
Ukrainian forces attacked a supply convoy destroying two KAMAZ trucks full of ammunition and food for Russian troops.
Battle for the Donbas (Donetsk & Luhansk regions)
Russia gave an ultimatum to Ukrainian forces in Mariupol to surrender by 05:00 or they would face more than a court-martial, implying that they are traitorous Russian subjects since Ukraine is an illegitimate country in their eyes. Ukraine refused the ultimatum. Thousands of civilians from Mariupol have been forcibly transported to Russia detention camps and stripped of their Ukrainian passports.
The brave Ukrainian defenders of Mariupol managed to destroy two Russian tanks and a ship in the Sea of Azov.
Russian-led rebels continue their assault in Luhansk still focused on the cities of Severodonetsk, Rubezhnoe, and Popasnaya. Twenty buildings were destroyed including three apartment buildings and nine private homes.
Battle for the Black Sea (Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Odesa)
Russian troops opened fire with machine guns on 200 unarmed peaceful protestors in the center of Kherson shouting at Russian soldiers to go home. No one died, but one man was seriously wounded.
Two Russian warships came near the shore of Odesa and opened fire on several seashore homes. Ukrainian defense forces opened fire on the ships, and they retreated after one was damaged. There were no casualties.
Other Regions
Russia fired two missiles at a military training base near Rivne.
A grad missile was fired on the village of Selets, 28 miles north of Zhitomir, killing three soldiers and one civilian.
Russian FSB agents were arrested in Transcarpathia, the region where I live, for attempting to foment division between Hungarian and Ukrainian residents with claims that Hungary plans on taking back the region which they had lost after World War I.
Other News
President Zelensky addressed the Israeli parliament and challenged them to change their stance of neutrality and condemn the genocide Russia is committing against Ukraine. His only slip up was comparing the Holocaust to what is happening to Ukraine. The Israeli leadership is split on their reaction – some offended that Zelensky used the reference to the Holocaust, and others ashamed that Israel is not condemning the evil Russia is committing against Ukraine.
Russia agreed to nine humanitarian corridors to open allowing Ukrainian civilians to evacuate besieged cities. Several buses of children were attacked by Russian forces around the Mariupol region, and two cars of evacuees came under machine gun fire near Zaporizhia.
International Support
China has pledged $1.5 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
The EU pledged another $1.1 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
New Zealand pledged $3.5 million for non-lethal weapons.
Western countries including the U.S. signed a joint statement pledging to modernize the air defense of Ukraine.
The people of Belarus are doing all they can to stop Belarusian soldiers from entering the war against Ukraine. They are handing out leaflets to soldiers dissuading them from entering Ukraine, and they are sabotaging rail lines as well. It seems to be working as Belarusian troops are moving from Ukraine’s border back to their bases.