Prepared by Denis Bohush, military and political expert, International Headquarters for Assistance to Ukrainians
General description of the situation. Russia launched a war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022 (39th day of the war). They began with a rocket-bomb attack on 17 Ukrainian cities, first on military infrastructure and now on civilian infrastructure.
Today, April 3, the thirty-ninth day of the heroic confrontation of the Ukrainian people against the Russian military invasion has begun.
The enemy continues to carry out systematic missile and air strikes on military and civilian targets, but the intensity of missile strikes and high-precision weapons strikes has declined.
The occupiers continue to withdraw units to the territory of the Republic of Belarus. The main routes of the enemy columns run in the direction of the settlements of Gomel and Mogilev regions of the Republic of Belarus.
As of 03.04. the entire territory of the Kiev region was liberated from the Russian occupation forces. However, during the withdrawal, the enemy mines the nomination routes and individual settlements. Thus, in the city of Irpin alone, 643 units of explosive devices were seized.
From the Konotop district (Sumy region) a large number of enemy troops returned to Russia. A conditional “corridor” has been formed, through which there is a constant movement of military equipment from Kyiv and Chernihiv regions in the opposite direction to the Russian Federation. But the enemy in Belarus continues to actively move heavy Russian military equipment marked “V” and missiles to Ukrainian borders.
In the Kharkiv region, the enemy continues to partially block the city of Kharkiv and shells residential and industrial areas of the city with artillery systems of various types. Thus, Russian troops fired on the building of the district hospital in Balaklia and the territory of the Central Park of Culture and Recreation named after Gorky. In addition, units of the occupying forces are regrouping in order to continue active operations in the Izium area.
In the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the main efforts of the occupiers continue to focus on the capture of the settlements of Rubizhne, Popasna, preparation for the offensive on Severodonetsk. In Melitopol, the enemy continues to deploy artillery systems among residential neighborhoods, from which it fires in the Zaporozhye direction.
In the temporarily occupied Tokmak (Zaporizhzhya region), the Russian occupiers plan to hold a “referendum” on April 4.
Russian units also fired on the Kremenchug refinery and the surrounding fuel and lubricants depots. The company’s infrastructure was destroyed. The plant is not working.
The occupiers also fired missiles at the city of Myrhorod. As a result of the shelling, the runway, airfield infrastructure were damaged and the fuel and lubricants warehouse caught fire.
Losses of military personnel and military equipment of the RF Armed Forces
About 18,000 military personnel,
- tanks – 644 units,
- combat armored vehicles – 1830 units,
- artillery systems – 325 units,
- MLRS – 105 units,
- air defense means – 54 units,
- aircraft – 143 units,
- helicopters – 134 units,
- automotive equipment – 1249 units,
- ships / boats – 7 units,
- UAVs of operational and tactical level – 89.
The Air Defense Forces of Ukraine destroyed two planes (previously Su-34 fighter-bomber), “landed” one helicopter and one drone, and neutralized four cruise missiles.
The British Starstreak anti-aircraft missile system was first used on the battlefield in Ukraine. According to preliminary information, the Ukrainian Armed Forces shot down a Russian Mi-28H helicopter with a British missile.
During the day, fighters of the Azov Regiment destroyed 2 tanks, 2 BMD, 2 BMP, many enemy infantry.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have seized another TOC-1A system, Soncepek.
Cases of resistance from the local population
The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reports that residents of the Izium district of the Kharkiv region “treated” Russians from the Third Motorized Rifle Division of Russia with poisoned pies. As a result, two occupiers died at once, and another 28 were taken to the intensive care unit.
Loud explosions were heard in Energodar, which was temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation, and shootings took place in the center of the city. Thus, the occupiers tried to disperse the peaceful rally.
Residents of Rubizhne, “liberated” from peaceful life, this morning hung out the Ukrainian flag on the building of the dormitory of the Pedagogical Institute, where they were placed, and a rally was held. They demanded to return to Ukraine and were outraged that the “liberators” destroyed their houses, and instead of a normal life they were forced to live in a dormitory, on rations.
