Summary of the Events of the Day
Russia continues to fire missiles on Kyiv and Chernihiv to keep pressure on those cities as Russian troops begin evacuating around Kyiv and heading to join the Battle for the Donbas. The war will be at a stalemate unless the West begins supplying Ukraine with heavy weapons such as tanks and planes. Ukraine is holding their positions defensively, but without heavy weapons they cannot retake lost territory.
Battle for the Skies
Russian planes are shifting to the east of Ukraine in the Battle for Donbas. Kharkiv was attacked heavily but Ukrainian forces shot down four planes, one drone, and two cruise missiles.
Battle for Kyiv (Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv)
Despite Russia’s rhetoric that they are scaling down their attacks on Kyiv and Chernihiv, in reality the shelling and bombing of the two cities remains at the same level. Russian troops are no longer attempting to progress in the area, but they must keep up the pressure as Russia shifts its priority in taking all the Donbas.
Ukrainian forces did much damage to Russian forces on the ground near Chernihiv. Russian forces seem to be either retreating or regrouping. Time will tell which it is. Ukrainian forces were able to take back two settlements to the south of Chernihiv – Sloboda and Lukashivka.
Battle for the Donbas (Donetsk, Luhansk, Mariupol)
Russia announced a ceasefire around Mariupol to allow civilians to evacuate the city. Russia has promised this many times before only to fire on civilians when they surface to leave. We will have to wait to see if they will keep their word this time. Ukraine has sent 45 buses and the Red Cross is preparing to lead the evacuation.
Russian forces in Luhansk region continue their attacks on the three towns of Lysychansk, Severodonetsk, and Rubezhnoe but were unable to gain any territory. In Severodonetsk Russian shelling destroyed a school and five homes, in Lysychansk nine homes and an oil depot, and in Rubezhnoe one home. Three civilians were killed including a year-old infant during the attacks.
Ukrainian forces continue to hold the Ocheretyne-Krasnohorivka-Maryinka-Novomykhailivka line in Donetsk region which was under constant shelling. Russian forces also used illegal phosphorous chemical weapons on the civilian populations of these town. At least 13 civilians, including four children, were injured in the attacks.
Battle for the Black Sea (Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odesa)
The number of deaths on the Russian bombing of the Mykolaiv Regional Administration building has risen to 20.
Battle for Crimean Water Source (Melitopol, Zaporizhia)
Ukrainian forces were able to reestablish their Malynivka-Chervone-Zeleny Hai line in defense of Zaporizhia. Ukrainian forces claimed to have taken Vesele 35 miles northwest of Melitopol, which if true, would be an important move to take back Melitopol.
Other Regions
Russia fired a missile at a military position in Dnepropetrovsk region.
Russian forces have retreated from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Exclusion Zone back into Belarus.
Other News
President Zelensky addressed the nation informing them that peace will not be achieved at the negotiating table, but on the battlefield. Unless Ukraine can begin retaking territory taken by Russia, Ukraine does not have a strong position at the negotiating table. He thanked the world for providing light military equipment that has greatly assisted Ukraine in defending its cities and holding back Russian advances, but without heavy weapons, Ukraine cannot push Russian forces back and the war will remain at a stalemate.
Russia is turning its attention on solidifying its control over cities and towns it has captured by repressing peaceful protests on the streets and kidnapping mayors and placing them under torture to accept Russian control of their community.
The Ukrainian Army is creating a new battalion of Russian soldiers who were captured and are willing to fight against Putin and for freedom for Russia from his totalitarian regime. The number of Russian soldiers that have defected to Ukraine now number around 100.
In an attempt to shore up the Russian ruble which has been devasted by international sanctions, Russia has announced that they will only accept payment in rubles for natural gas and oil purchases. An exception was given to Germany, Russia’s largest European customer.
President Zelensky continued his addresses to the world’s parliament by addressing the Australian parliament. Zelensky reminded them that Russia is threatening nuclear attacks which will even have an impact on faraway Australia. Later in the day he addressed the Netherland Parliament.