Summary of the Events of the Day
It was a stalemate on the ground with neither side advancing. Russia continues it pounding of Ukraine from the air and reports suggests that Ukraine may be shelling Russian targets within Russia more and more as well.
Battle for the Donbas (Donetsk, Luhansk, Mariupol)
Luhansk – Russian forces continue their attempts to fully control Rubizhne and Voevodivka on their drive to Severodonetsk but without success. Russian forces fired 15 times on residential buildings. They destroyed a special needs school in Gorski. Six homes and the Cultural House were destroyed in Vrubivka. Three high-rise apartment building in Rubizhne were hit, and two in Lysychansk. A high-rise residential building and hotel were hit in Severodonetsk. There were no reported casualties as much of the region has been evacuated.
Siversky Donets – Russian forces continue their attempts to take Lyman and Ozerne but without success. Two missile strikes were sent against civilians in Slovyansk. Russian forces again tried to build a pontoon bridge over the Siversky Donetsk River near Bilohorivka, but it was destroyed by Ukrainian forces.
Donetsk – Russian forces continue their attempts to take Avdiivka but without success.
Mariupol – Our brave defenders held on for another day.
Battle for Southern Ukraine (Mykolaiv, Kherson, Kryvyi Rih, Zaporizhia, and Odesa)
Russia shelled a residential building in Orikhiv on the Zaporizhian Defense Line killing one man. A missile heading towards Zaporizhia was shot down, but the wreckage still did damage to an infrastructure building.
Russia attacked Zelenodolsk three times with missiles destroying several homes, but there were no casualties. Russia also launched a dozen rockets against Komyshuvakha killing one civilian.
There was one missile strike against Odesa causing damage to residential areas, but no casualties.
Russia is trying to turn Zmiinyi (Snake) Island into a fortress from which they can dominate the northwestern Black Sea, but Ukrainian forces continue to blow up anything they build with military drones.
Battle for Kharkiv
There was no change on the ground in the Kharkiv region. Russia fired a missile on the community of Lozova nearly a hundred miles south of Kharkiv with one casualty. It is reported that Ukraine has begun shelling Russian troops over the border near Kharkiv in the Belgorod Region. The Russian locals report seeing more and more Ukrainian planes over their region.
Other Regions
Russian forces fired mortars against villages along the Russian border in the Chernihiv Region. There were no casualties.
Russia fired missiles from planes on the community of Karlovy Vary in the Poltava Region. There were no casualties.
Other News
The first war crime trial has commenced against 21-year-old Russian Sergeant Vadim Shyshymarin of the 4th Guards Division of Moscow Region. His convoy was destroyed in the Sumy region by Ukrainian forces and he and four other Russian soldiers fired at a car and then hijacked it as they escaped the scene. On their way they saw a 62-year-old man talking on the phone as he was walking with his bike home. Shyshymarin shot the man in the head from an open window in the car killing him just ten meters away from his home. He was later captured by Ukrainian forces and is currently a prisoner of war.
Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra had to spend the early morning hours in a bomb shelter during his visit to Kyiv when the air sirens went off.
Four Russian governors have resigned due to the international sanctions that have been placed on them.
International Support
A resolution has been submitted to the US Senate declaring Russia as an international sponsor of terrorism. If passed, Russia will be the fifth nation on the list along with Cuba, Syria, Iran, and North Korea. The US House of Representatives approved a $40 billion military aid package to Ukraine. The bill will now go to the Senate.
New Zealand added eight Russians to their sanctions list who are involved in Russian propaganda and cyber-attacks.
Germany reopened their embassy in Kyiv.