Russian invasion of Ukraine: tanks and rocket attacks on the cities. Breaking news
Early in the morning of February 24, 2022, Russia launched missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine and launched a direct full-scale invasion. Ukraine repulses the enemy. As of April 28, 2022, more than 22800 russian servicemen, thousands of units of military equipment (187 planes, 155 helicopters, 970 tanks, 2389 armored vehicles, 1688 machines, 582 artillery / rocket artillery systems, 8 ships and more) have been eliminated.
President Volodymyr Zelensky turned to politicians and citizens of Switzerland.
“Now you have a chance to demonstrate not only to Russia but also to any other aggressor, any other terrorist state that the war does not ruin the victim, it ruins those who start it”, he said.
Rescue team from State Service for Emergency Situations showed how their buddy works, a mine detecting dog Patron, who helps find explosives.
“News from Patron! Our fighter of a dog and talisman of Chernihiv deminers continues his service! Since the war started together with deminers of the State Service of Emergency Situations defused about 90 explosive objects. We are grateful to you, buddy, for your tireless work”, says the report.
Special Forces Headquarters showed a video of burning ammunition warehouse belonging to Russian invaders.
“Your mood when your artillery aims and fires at a warehouse with Russian ammunition and then you watch the orcs burn with their ammunition. Ukrainian Special Forces: we work creatively, we work for you!” says the message.
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The Guardian showed how Mariupol looks after many days of shelling.
Press briefing of Ukrainian citizens from the Crimea who were forced to take Russian citizenship and fight against Ukraine.
Kharkiv region received new “ambulances”, and also military expensive ammunition for the soldiers of the Army of Ukraine, Oleg Synegubov, Head of Kharkiv RSA said.
Works for creating humanitarian corridors are in the process. Communities refused to cooperate with the occupiers despite terrible conditions created for Kharkiv region citizens by the russians.
Once again the invaders denied passage to trucks with humanitarian cargoes intended for Kherson oblast and did not allow to unload the cargo so much needed for the people in Kherson oblast, Genadiy Laguta, the head of Kherson Oblast Administration, writes.
Today 14 trucks left the town of Apostolove in Dnipropetrovsk oblast and moved to Kherson oblast, they carried food and medications. The invaders did not allow them to get to their destination. The trucks were turned around halfway through and went back to Dnipropetrovsk
At the temporary occupied territories of Ukraine the russian terrorists army hold mass ”arrests” – kidnapping of Ukrainian activists, volunteers, journalists, representatives of local authority, Lyudmyla Denisova, Representative of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on human rights, writes.
In Berdiansk a hromadske journalist Viktoria Roschyn was kidnapped, her location is unknown. A secretary of Nova Kahovka authority Dmytro Vasyliev was illegally detained. He is captured in the basement of Nova Kahovka police station building. In Volnovaha the occupiers “arrested” more than 20 Ukrainian activists.
Such actions of the mercenaries are a military crime.
More than 2K Mariupol citizens arrived to Zaporizhzhia today, Mariupol local authority informs. In the second half of the day, 363 cars have arrived to Zaporizhzhia with 2128 citizens of Mariupol, among them 648 children.
In Zaporizhzhia people were given help – food, medicine, hygiene products and shelters. People are given medical and psychological support.
Totally for 4 days more than 15714 people from different towns were welcomed in Zaporizhzhia, among them 3397 children.
In Bucha district the air defense divisions of the Land Troops of Ukraine hit an enemy’s helicopter K-52, Oleksander Pavlyuk from Kyiv regional military administration writes. The helicopter was hit with the help of MANPADS “Stinger”.
The Land Troops of Ukrainian Army demonstrated the training of recently called-up defenders of Ukraine. There are several stages: theory, lessons with simulators in an interactive shooting gallery which recreates a real fighting environment, practicing skills at a proving ground and destroying the enemy at the battle field.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: if not to stop Russia now, if not to punish russia now, then other aggressors will start other wars. In different regions of the world. At different continents. Everywhere, where a country dreaming to conquer the neighbors exists.
Near Popasna AFU hit a MANPADS “Tocha-Y”. It turns out that the missile is easily hit with the help of a MANPADS “Stinger”:
Ukraine is the first country in the world suing according to the Convention on terrorism financing, Emine Dzhaparova, the deputy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, declared.
“After we win, russia will be recognized a country terrorist. Besides, Ukraine is the second country in the world which sues according to the Convention on all forms of racial discrimination liquidation. Georgia sued according to this Convention unsuccessfully”, she said.
“First victory was in 2019, February 8, when the United Nation International Court recognized its jurisdiction and started to consider the case essentially. It is for the first time russian federation must explain its crimes, this is an issue of reputational losses,”- Emine Dzhaparova stressed.
Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, in his address at the Conservative Party Congress said:
- Why did Putin start this war? Because he is afraid of Ukraine, because in Ukraine there is free media, free elections, because yearly, even not easy, Ukraine progressed to freedom and democracy, free markets. He was afraid of Ukraine as an example and of what it can turn to him, as in Putin’s russia they can imprison you for 50 years only for calling the invasion an invasion. He was afraid that in Moscow there can happen a colored revolution.
- If Putin wins, he will not stop at Ukraine. The end of freedom in Ukraine would mean the end of freedom in Georgia and Moldova, and the beginning of new era threat for all Eastern Europe from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. This is a turning point for the whole world, a moment of choice between freedom and oppression.
- Still there are governments ready to negotiate with tyrants. I believe they are mistaken fundamentally. Trying to normalize relationship with Putin after this, as we did it in 2014, would mean to make the same mistake. That is why Putin must lose.
For the moment officially there are 562 russian prisoners of war in Ukraine, the Minister of Temporary Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereschuk informed in the TSN interview.
The list of countries that provided humanitarian help to Mariupol:
Great Britain
Georgia
Poland
Germany
Austria
Latvia
The Netherlands
Kosovo
Turkey
Canada
USA
UAE
Norway
We thank to each of them!
Save Mariupol citizens together!
People evacuation from Lugansk region continues, also we expect powerful reinforcement, Sergiy Gaidai Head of Lugansk RSA informs.
“Today we evacuate people and agree on secure delivery of the next humanitarian trucks. We stuck trucks fully – with food, medicine, hygiene products, clothes. Currently there are fights in Rubizhne and Popasna, nevertheless, we managed to evacuate people from there. I believe in our Armed Forces of Ukraine – we expect powerful reinforcement. It will help to knock out the russians from occupied by them positions”.
During March 18 the Security Service of Ukraine caught several collaborators and mercenaries, in particular in Rivne, Vinnytsia,Kyiv, and Odesa region. In Dnipropetrovsk region the Security Service of Ukraine exposed regular swindlers who were wheedling out money appointed to Ukrainian cities defense.
The use of the latest weaponry was recorded for the first time in Kyiv yesterday, Advisor to Ukrainian Interior Minister, Anton Gerashchenko has said. These are shells that descend on parachutes.
Valeriy Zaluzhniy, commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, addressed politicians who, while in the rear cities, talk about "treason" and make "assessments" of the operational situation.
"With your irresponsible statements like the enemy has seemingly taken something without problems or that the surrender of the country is allegedly being prepared, you are insulting our soldiers. The defence forces are heroically resisting the enemy, who has been called the second army in the world.
We have stopped the enemy in all directions. We have inflicted on them such losses that they have never seen and could never imagine. All Ukrainians know about it. The world knows about it. It is the 24th day of our resistance to full-scale aggression. A resistance that was made possible by national unity, our preparation and motivation.
So I appeal to you: do not humiliate our defenders with your "expert assessments". It is not you who are on the first line of defence now. Nor are your children. Everyone should mind their own business. We defend Ukraine. You take care of its development and do not interfere with us.
The occupiers put white armbands on Mariupol residents to make Ukrainian defenders confuse them with Russians, Azov writes citing residents' testimonies. This way they hide behind civilians and put them in additional danger.
Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland's prime minister, has proposed that the European Union at the next European Council meeting consider tightening sanctions against Russia and ending all cooperation with the aggressor country on land and at sea, the Polish newspaper WNP said.
Kyiv Region police: Seven dead and five wounded as a result of a mortar attack on Makariv. The shelling destroyed residential houses and damaged administrative buildings and other premises.
Main from the Operational Summary of the AFU General Staff as of 12.00pm:
Since the beginning of hostilities, the enemy has struck 291 missile strikes, used 459 surface-to-sea, naval and air-based missiles, and conducted 1,403 air raids.
The main land targets of the russian invaders were Ukrainian cities and villages, namely industrial infrastructure, schools, hospitals, national historical and religious shrines, and densely populated residential areas.
In the area northwest of Chernobyl, the invaders deployed the rear area of the Eastern Military District.
To replenish the losses of the Eastern Military District group, separate units have been transferred to the territory of the Republic of Belarus. 155th Separate Marine Brigade (Vladivostok) and 40th Separate Marine Brigade (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky).
The partial blockade of the city of Chernihiv continues, the enemy carries out artillery shelling of densely populated areas.
In the direction of Brovary, the invader operates with forces of up to three brigades. The enemy does not refuse to carry out offensive operations on Kyiv and tries to regroup combat units.
They are trying to block Sumy and Kharkiv. The enemy is trying to prepare for offensive operations in the direction of the settlements of Trostyanets, Okhtyrka, Poltava, part of the forces - in Pryluky and Kyiv.
The enemy fired missiles at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kamyanka region. Enemy is trying to carry out assault operations and fire raids in the vast majority of areas.
The main efforts are focused on attempts to capture the settlements of Severodonetsk, Rubizhne, Popasna. In the direction of Severodonetsk, the enemy attempted an offensive, was unsuccessful, suffered heavy losses and retreated.
In the Rubizhne area, with the support of artillery, it continues to gain a foothold in the western and north-western parts of the city, regrouped, and has no success.
In the direction of Pervomaisk, Lysychansk is trying to fire on our troops in order to deter the actions of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Conducts assault operations and raids in the vast majority of areas. The main efforts are focused on capturing the city of Vugledar and the hero city of Mariupol.
The General Staff has published photos of destroyed Russian equipment in the Kyiv region and stated that Ukrainian forces have reinforced the Strela-10 SAM system.
The Russians have listed Ukrainian TV presenter Dmytro Komarov as an "enemy", Komarov says on his Facebook page.
"Congratulations! Honorary title 'Enemy of Russia' from the Committee for the Protection of National Interests. It means I am living honestly and I am not ashamed to look people in the eye. And we, the "enemies and traitors of the Russian Federation", are an interesting bunch here. Makarevich, Klitschko, Grebenshchikov, Navalny and others," writes the presenter.
The speaker of the Zaporizhzhya regional military administration, Ivan Arefyev, on the situation in Zaporizhzhya over the past 24 hours: an IFV-82 with an occupier’s airborne was destroyed and two enemy IFVs were damaged, the enemy was hit both in the front line and deep into its operational formation and fighting ranks as a result of which the occupiers constantly suffer losses among their personnel and armoured vehicles.
Unfortunately, during the occupiers' shelling of a suburb of the regional centre of Zaporizhzhya, two missile attacks killed 9 people and wounded 17, while 5 others were injured.
National Police: 8 settlements in Donbas have been shelled by Russians during 24 hours. At least 37 residential buildings and infrastructure facilities were damaged. Dozens of civilians were killed and injured as a result of the Russian strikes. There are children among the casualties.
Mariupol, Avdiyivka, Kramatorsk, Pokrovsk, Novoselidivka, Verkhnetoretske, Krymka and Stepne were under fire.
The enemy shelled towns and villages with aircraft, missile and heavy artillery, including the use of prohibited cluster munitions. Among the civilian targets destroyed by the Russian Federation were multi-storey and private houses, a school, a kindergarten, a museum, a shopping centre and administrative buildings.
Operational Command North: two enemy artillery batteries have followed a Russian warship in the Chernihiv region today. Our defenders inflicted fire on a battery of Uragan multiple rocket launchers and a battery of 2S19 MSTA-S self-propelled artillery units.
Mykhaylo Podolyak reacted to the German defence minister's statement that NATO will not intervene in the conflict and will not create a no-fly zone in Ukraine: "Murderous. Every such statement by European politicians encourages the Russian Federation to massacre in Ukraine. If you don't want to call war a war itself and are afraid of Putin, then, don't make provocative statements at least.
The occupiers use conscripts from temporarily occupied territories as cannon fodder to identify firing positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Main Directorate of Intelligence has said.
According to the most "true conscripts", the Russian command is using them as "bait". That is, as the advance echelon of battlefield reconnaissance. Units are sent in military vehicles to the line of hostilities, ignoring the high casualties. And in this way they determine the location of firing positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
One such unit, with 250-300 men, lost around 200 "conscripted" men on 16-17 March in the Mykolayiv direction. The remnants of the unit that returned to the Kherson region are completely demoralised and refuse to participate further in combat operations.
Situation on the Russian invasion: briefing by Oleksiy Arestovych, Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office.
Prosecutor General Iryna Venedyktova in an interview with the BBC said that camps for Russian prisoners of war had been set up in Ukraine.
For the last 24 hours the police have registered 34 shelling of private houses and objects of civilian infrastructure in Lugansk region. There are killed and injured ones among civilians as a result.
In Zaporizhzhia the time for curfew is changed – it starts today March 19 at 4:00 p.m. and finishes on Monday March 21 at 6:00 a.m.
Center for strategical communication and information security informs: The occupiers next to Kyiv lose their positions, still they continue to terrorize civilians.
General Prosecutor Office informs: As of morning March 19, 112 children died, and more than 140 children injured because of the occupiers’ actions. Most victims are in Kyiv region – 57, Kharkiv region – 36, Chernihiv region – 30, Mykolaiv region – 21, Zhytomyr region – 15, Sumy region – 15, and Kherson region – 14.
Bellingcat launched an interactive map to track possible military crimes during the war in Ukraine.
March 19, there will be open humanitarian corridors of evacuation in the following directions:
Donetsk region
1. Mariupol-Mangush-Tokmak-Vasylivka-Kamiansjke-Zaporizhzhy. Movement within the corridor is for private vehicles.
In Mangush all Mariupol citizens exiting the city are provided by necessary help. Transportation to Berdiansk by buses is organized.
Two trucks of provision are sent to help Mariupol citizens in Berdiansk.
Kyiv region
2. Bervytsia-Mokrets-Zavorychi-Kalyta-Semypolky-Litky-Rozhny-Puhivka-Zazymia-Brovary
From Bervytsia village people have to exit to the bridge in Mokrets village by themselves, cross the river in the direction of Radgospna street. Buses will be waiting there.
3. Bucha-Vorzelj-Mykhailivka-Rubezhivka-Zabuchchya-Dmytrivka-Kapitanivka-Stoyanka-Gorenychi-Bilogorodka
4. Bogdanivka-Novobogdanivka-Rudnya-Litky-Rozhny-Puhivka-Zazymia-Brovary
5. Borodianka-Piskivka-Bila Krynytsia-Kocheriv-Brusyliv-Fastiv-Bila Tserkva
Lugansk region
6. Lysychansk-Bahmut
7. Severodonetsk- Lysychansk-Bahmut
8. Rubizhne-Severodonetsk-Lysychansk-Bahmut
9. Popasna-Bahmut
• Buses will be sent for evacuation
• The evacuation train for Lugansk region citizens will leave Novozolotarivka station.
• Humanitarian cargo (provision and medicine) is planned to be delivered to the towns of Lugansk region and Kherson.
BlackSeaNews analytical center informs that russian structures spread a warning about dangerous shipping from Bosporus to Odesa citing the hydrographic service of Black Sea Fleet of Russian Federation, as if Ukrainian sea mines prepared for Odesa defense are drifting over all the aqua.
BlackSeaNews believes Russia have mined the recommended for shipping fairways by itself.
In European Union they discuss a possibility to use the blocked by sanctions assets of russian oligarchs to finance renovation of Ukraine after the war.
The Minister of Reintegration on humanitarian corridors today.
Germany's Bosch is suspending its operations in Russia after Ukraine alleged Russia had used Bosch parts in military equipment.
The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02 to 19.03 were approximately:
- personnel - more 14400,
- tanks – 466,
- APV – 1470,
- artillery systems – 150,
- MLRS - 72,
- Anti-aircraft warfare systems - 213,
- aircraft – 95,
- helicopters – 115,
- vehicles - 914,
- boats / cutters - 3,
- fuel tanks - 60,
- UAV operational-tactical level - 17,
- special equipment - 11.
Russia's war against Ukraine, status as of 19 March.
As of 8:00 am, the situation in the regions:
Kyiv region. Air threat and the threat of missile strikes almost overnight. Irpen, Moschun, Gostomel, Vorzel and the Makarivka communities are under active and not targeted fire from the invader. Civilian housing and infrastructure are the most affected. In the village of Novi Petrivtsi, a fire broke out at a landfill.
Chernihiv region. Several air raids during the evening and night. Defensive battles for Chernihiv. The number of bombardments of the city decreased overnight.
Sumy region. Akhtyrsk and Sumy districts were shelled by orcs with artillery. Damage is being ascertained. Terror and genocide of the local population continues in the border villages where the enemy has entered.
Zhytomyr region. The night is turbulent, with air raids. An airstrike in Narody city type village, a warehouse destroyed.
Kharkiv. Attempts to encircle Kharkiv continue, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces hold their positions and the number of shelling has decreased overnight. In the region, fighting continues in the Izyum direction and the humanitarian corridor did not work yesterday due to shelling.
Kirovograd, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, Rivne, Volyn, Vinnitsa, Zakarpattia, Khmelnytskyi oblast, Ternopil, Cherkasy, Lviv, Poltava oblast, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Odesa regions - no change, it was quiet at night.
Luhansk region. On 18 March, the Russian army's heavy shelling of Severodonetsk, Rubizhne, Privilehiya and Kreminna resulted in damage to around 54 properties. Of these, 19 apartment buildings and 19 private residences, as well as two healthcare facilities, were damaged. 4 dead, 10 wounded per day. 23 settlements are completely without gas supply. A total of 38 settlements are without electricity supply.
Donetsk region. The night is complicated. An offensive on Marinka. Constant shelling of Avdiivka and Ocheretino settlements. Verznetoretsk - air strikes. There is no information on the dead and injured.
Mykolayiv region. The night is not calm. An air raid was sounded overnight in Mykolaiv region. Snegirevka was shelled with Grads. There are no reports of casualties or deaths so far.
Kherson. Kherson region suffers from enemy occupation in all directions. More than 70 settlements in the region remain without power supply - that is about 50,000 citizens. A similar number have been without water supply for a considerable period of time.
British intelligence update, morning of March 19.
The supply for the Russian invasion army did not arrive again, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.
The Busuu language learning platform has opened free access to the full service for Ukrainians for 3 months.