Summary of the Events of the Day
Belarus had declared war on Ukraine on Friday evening, but no Belarusian troops have joined in the fight yet. The problem is that Belarusian soldiers do not want to fight Ukraine, so Russian commanders have now been appointed over these Belarusian troops to get them in line.
Ukraine has been holding its ground on all fronts, making some gains around Chernihiv. But Mykolaiv has now come under harsh attacks on civilians.
Battle for the Skies
Ukraine took to the air and bombed ten columns of Russian troops. Significant damage was done to Russian troops without losing one plane. Russia had many losses in the air campaign yesterday. Two planes were shot down over Kherson, a fighter jet over Kharkiv, and a drone over Kyiv.
Battle for Kyiv (including Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, & Zhitomir)
Chernihiv – Chernihiv has continued to hold its ground and even taking back two more communities to add to the five liberated the day before. Russian forces bombed the historic Ukraine hotel in the center of Chernihiv.
Kyiv – With Chernihiv holding the north and even taking back some ground, Kyiv can concentrate on their biggest threat to the west. The miles-long convoy of troops have now dispersed after coming under devastating attack by Ukrainian forces. A Ukrainian drone took out a REBS (Rapid Emplaced Bridge System) trying to breach the river allowing Russian forces to move on Kyiv.
To the south Russian forces continue to shell communities, especially Vasylkiv which came under heavy attack again setting on fire two oil depots, destroying the airport, and blowing up an ammunition depot.
Russian forces continue to press towards the east side of Kyiv, frustrated by the brave defenders of Kharkiv and Sumy, towards the town of Brovary. A convoy of civilians were evacuating Peremoha farther to the east but were shot at by Russian soldiers killing six women and a child.
Missile strikes occurred in the capital hitting an office building and destroying some garages.
Sumy – Ukrainian forces captured three Russian tanks killing two of their soldiers in the process.
Kharkiv – A transmission of orders to Russian soldiers attacking Kharkiv was intercepted clearly calling for snipers to kill civilians. “Children are not children” the snipers were told.
Battle for the Donbas (Donetsk & Luhansk regions)
Donetsk – After weeks of being besieged yet standing firm, Volnovakha finally fell to Russian forces. The southern regions have nearly all been captured now. Russians killed 2 civilians and injured 3 in attacks around Vuhledar to the southwest of Donetsk.
But overall, in the north, Ukrainian forces held their ground and inflicted heavy damage on the Russian forces. Now that Russian-rebels have made some gains to the south of Donetsk, they are turning their attention to the north shelling Avdiivka where the Ukrainian forces are holed up. Farther north, Ocheretyne was shelled damaging a high-voltage power line cutting off electricity to communities to the east. Russian troops coming down from the north on Donetsk region wounded a civilian in fighting in Rubtsi.
Mariupol – The brave defenders held on another day even inflicting damage on a Russian unit trying to advance on the city killing 15 Russian soldiers.
Luhansk – Ukrainian forces continue to hold the line at Severodonetsk. Yesterday the Russian forces bombed the hospital injuring a woman and her twin children. Elsewhere in Luhansk a village was taken back from Russia and in the process, Ukraine captured a functioning BRDM patrol vehicle.
Battle for Black Sea (Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odessa)
Russia has adopted a new strategy on their march to Odessa. Instead of landing a force, they are moving forward on land from Kherson to Mykolaiv. Mykolaiv has been successful at pushing back any Russian forces that move towards their city inflicting great damage. Now Russian forces approach, fire, and retreat. Yesterday morning using this technique they destroyed 167 homes, eleven schools, and a hospital.
80 Russian marines from Crimea thought they were on an exercise mission and then found themselves having landed near Kherson. They refused to fight against Ukraine and were returned to Crimea.
Russia has begun proposing holding a referendum in Kherson region to declare the People’s Republic of Kherson. Local Ukrainian officials are refusing to cooperate.
Battle to Restore Water to Crimea (Melitopol, Zaporizhia)
Russian forces continue to put pressure on Vasylivka which is the hinge of the Ukrainian line of defense for Zaporizhia. Having taken Tokmak, forces are now moving north on Tavriya. A family trying to escape was purposefully run over by a Russian tank on the highway between Tokmak and Tavriya killing all three in the car, including a little boy.
Other Regions
Three missile strikes were unleashed on Dnipro in the early morning. Then later another missile was heading to Dnipro, but it was shot out of the air.
The airport in Lutsk was hit with missiles in the early morning resulting in four deaths and six injured.
The airport in Ivano-Frankivsk was also hit. The air raid alarms failed to go off in the city.
Other News
President Zelensky addressed the world on the tremendous loss inflicted on Russian forces in the first 16 days of the war. 31 battalion tactical groups have been destroyed – as well as 360 tanks, 1200 armored vehicles, 80 helicopters, and 60 planes. 13,000 Russian soldiers have died compared to 1300 Ukrainian soldiers.
Peace Negotiations
The fourth round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine was held via video link. The major discussions are again humanitarian corridors to allow Ukrainians to evacuate besieged and occupied cities.
President Zelensky has accepted Israel mediator’s proposal for Zelensky and Putin to meet face-to-face in Jerusalem.
International Support
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made another hour-long phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin calling for an end to the aggression.
Motorola and Sony Pictures announced their suspension of business in Russia.