Summary of the Events of the Day
Russia is intensifying its attacks in the Donbas, but mostly against civilians to spread terror. Ukrainian forces are holding their ground and inflicting damage on Russian forces who dare to attack them directly. There will be no end to this war until Ukraine receives heavy weapons, such as tanks and planes, from the West.
Battle for the Skies
Ukraine has been so successful at shooting down missiles, eight were shot down today, forcing Russia to change their tactics. Russia only now fires missiles into pockets of areas not protected by Ukraine air defenses, which means mostly hitting civilian targets. Ukraine has requested more air defense systems to plug these holes. And this is needed quickly as Russian-held Transnistria is preparing their airfields to receive Russian planes. It is believed that Russia will open another front against Ukraine in the back. Ukraine needs the ability to shoot down these transport planes before they arrive.
Battle for Kyiv (including Chernihiv)
Bodies are still being discovered in the cities that Russia had occupied northwest of Kyiv. Some are found killed execution style, others are considered victims of combat targeted against civilian populations. But many have been found with their hands tied and shot in the back of the head, even small children. Borodyanka and Gostomel are two cities that were heavily shelled in the early days of the invasion. Two hundred people are still unaccounted for in Borodyanka and four hundred in Gostomel. Their bodies have not yet been found and could be buried under debris or in mass graves not yet found.
Ukrainian engineers are clearing the highway between Kyiv and Zhitomir, as well as building a drawbridge, to connect to the two cities again. This will open the main highway in Western Ukraine to the capital.
Battle for the Donbas (Donetsk, Luhansk, Mariupol, Kharkiv, and Sumy)
Russia claimed to have shot down two helicopters attempting to evacuate the military leadership of the defense of Mariupol. There is no confirmation of this from the Ukrainian side. Russia also said they offered an evacuation corridor to Ukrainian territory for any Ukrainian soldier who lays down his arms and decides to leave. These may be signs that Mariupol will be unable to hold on much longer. Its fall will mean that Russia can focus its forces on the northern Donbas region.
But the defenders of Mariupol continued to fight all day destroying two Russian tanks and blowing up an ammunition depot.
We now know why Russia has prevented civilians from Mariupol to evacuate the city and not allow humanitarian aid inside. The atrocities that have been found in Bucha and other cities around Kyiv, are even worse in Mariupol. Russia is not allowing anyone out to tell the truth, or anyone in to see the truth of their war crimes. But Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko has smuggled out news of what is happening in the parts of Mariupol where Russian and Chechen forces control. He reports that Russia is bringing in mobile crematoriums to erase all evidence of their war crimes. Tens of thousands have died within the city already and Russia does not want the world to know this truth.
Ukrainian forces defending the Rubizhne-Severodonetsk-Popasna pocket inflicted heavy damage on Russian forces but at a high price. Severodonetsk continues to be the easternmost city that Ukrainian forces continue to hold, but it is under constant attack. Ten high rise apartments have been shelled and are on fire. Casualties are yet unknown. Missile strikes hit a high-rise apartment and destroyed nine homes in Rubizhne. One civilian was killed and another five injured in the attacks. A three-story residential building was destroyed in Popasna.
Vuhledar, just southwest of Donetsk, is bracing for an attack by Russian forces. Civilians gathered at an aid station to stock up on supplies. Russian artillery attacked the people while in line killing four people and wounding another four.
Kharkiv received 27 missiles attacks on civilian homes over the night.
Even though Russia has occupied the town of Balaklia 60 miles south of Kharkiv, they still shelled and levelled several residential apartment buildings resulting in at least three deaths.
The town of Lozova was hit by a missile attack but there were no casualties.
The Battle for the Black Sea (Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson)
Ukrainian forces inched farther in their attempt to take back Kherson, the only major city Russia has managed to take so far. They are pushing Russian forces back that had headed north against Kryvyi Rih and Zaporizhia. Ukrainian forces took back the villages of Dobryanka, Novovoznesens’ke, and Trudoliubivka. They are now moving to take back Velyka Oleksandrivka.
Other News
Ukrainian President Zelensky addressed the United Nations calling on the immediate expulsion of Russia from the world organization as it did Islamic States involved in terrorism. If Russia is allowed to stay in the United Nations, then the United Nations has no reason for existence.
The United Nations reports that Russia, on at least two dozen instances, used illegal indiscriminate cluster munitions on civilian populations.
The International Committee of the Red Cross failed again to reach Mariupol to evacuate citizens, but they did bring IDPs from other Donbas towns still under Ukrainian control back to Zaporizhia.
Russia has threatened to “retaliate” against Finland if it goes through with its plan to join NATO.
International Support
The United States announces another $100 million in anti-armor weapons bringing the total amount given to Ukraine to fight the war to $1.7 billion.
The United States expanded sanctions on Russia to include complete sanctions on Russia’s two largest banks and sanctions against Putin’s children who live in Europe. The EU is considering adding his children as well which would force them to leave Europe.