Summary of the Events of the Day
Ukraine continues to prepare for a large attack in the Donbass. They are trying to evacuate as many civilians as possible knowing the evil that Russian troops committed against civilians in cities around Kyiv they had captured. Around 2500 people are evacuated every day, but at least 25% of the population are remaining in their homes or hiding in their basements afraid to leave after what Russia did to the citizens trying to flee from the Kramatorsk train station. Russia has been targeting railway track switchers to impede the evacuation of civilians.
Battle For Kyiv (Kyiv, Chernihiv, Zhitomir, and Sumy)
As Ukraine clears the cities of mines and dead bodies that Russia had occupied around Kyiv, the number of civilian atrocities now numbers over 1200. Another mass grave has been discovered in Buzova near Bucha. The stories of the atrocities of Bucha are being recorded by journalists interviewing those who suffered through the occupation. You can read their reports here.
Battle for the Donbas (Donetsk, Luhansk, Mariupol, and Kharkiv)
Russian forces intensified their attacks against the Popasna-Maryanski-Severodonetsk-Rubizhne Contact Line taking heavy losses from Ukrainian defenders without taking any territory.
Ten thousand Russian soldiers are fighting against a far smaller force of Ukrainian defenders in Mariupol. The Battle for Mariupol has gone on now for 46 days. Russian forces have destroyed the city with tens of thousands of Ukrainian citizens dead beneath the rubble. And yet Ukraine struggles on still in control of the center of the city. But for how long? Ukraine has been unable to resupply the troops with food, ammunition, or medical supplies for two weeks. Russia is preparing for the final assault and is purportedly using chemical weapons against the remaining defenders. President Zelensky offered to allow them to retreat two weeks ago while they still could, but the defenders refused to surrender and are willing to die for Ukraine.
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, continues to be constantly shelled. Another two civilians died in the attacks.
The Battle for the Black Sea (Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson)
The port facilities in Mykolaiv were heavily damaged by rocket attacks resulting in one injury of a security guard.
Other News
4.5 million Ukrainians have now fled Ukraine which is around 10.2% of the pre-war population.
International Support
Societe Generale, France’s third largest bank, has decided to pull out of Russia at a loss of $3.1 billion. Swiss telecom giant Ericcson also suspended all operations within Russia.