General description of the situation. Russia launched a war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022 (18th 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, March 13, marks the eighteenth day of the Ukrainian people’s heroic confrontation with the Russian military invasion.
Status, position and nature of actions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces without significant changes.
The enemy continues to use civilian infrastructure for military purposes. In violation of the requirements of International Humanitarian Law, he continues to deploy units and equipment at high-risk facilities, shells civilians, conducts illegal searches of personal belongings and searches of local residents, and disguises himself in civilian clothes and uniforms of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The moral and psychological condition of the enemy’s troops, who took part in the battles with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, continues to deteriorate, the number of cases of desertion and refusals to carry out orders is growing.
According to the available information, a large number of Russian servicemen wounded in the course of hostilities on the territory of Ukraine are being treated in medical institutions of the south-eastern region of the Republic of Belarus. There are not enough blood supplies for surgery. Reserves accumulated for the citizens of the Republic of Belarus are used – about 2/3 of the reserve is redirected to the needs of the Russian military. The campaign to collect blood among public sector employees and the civilian population was intensified.
Due to the losses of the RF Armed Forces, new units are being formed. In particular, the enemy command plans to involve about 1,500 people from the 40th Separate Marine Brigade (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Pacific Fleet).
The Armed Forces of Ukraine, in cooperation with other components of the Defense Forces, are repelling the enemy troops, in particular, two helicopters, two fighters (one of which is a Su-34) and two UAVs were destroyed the previous day. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are holding back the enemy in all directions. No violations by the Republic of Belarus were recorded on the borders with Rivne Oblast.
The Ukrainian armed forces repulsed attacks on Kyiv, but captured some towns in the northwest of the capital.
No active offensive actions of the enemy were recorded in the Polissya direction.
In the Seversky (Chernihiv) direction, the enemy focused on improving the operational construction of troops and the logistics system of the group.
In the Slobozhansky direction (Kharkiv) the enemy carried out offensive operations in the Izyum area, further trying to advance in the direction of Slovyansk. At night, the anti-tank calculation of border guards in the Kharkiv region stopped the movement of the enemy column.
In the Donetsk and Tavriya (Crimea) areas, the enemy conducts assault operations and fire raids. He has had little success in the Volnovakha direction – he has captured the eastern outskirts and is trying to move on. The RF Armed Forces withdrew from Skadovsk, Kherson Oblast.
At night, the enemy shelled the cities of Mykolayiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv (International Center for Peacekeeping and Security (Yavoriv Military Range, 35 people were killed), as well as Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Mariupol, northern Donetsk region, Luhansk region.
According to the mayor of Vasylkiv, Kyiv region, the airport was completely destroyed as a result of rocket attacks. Over the past 24 hours, Kanatove Airport in the Kirovohrad Region and Ivano- Frankivsk has been shelled by enemy missiles.
Due to constant air and artillery strikes from the ROV, in Chernihiv, Sumy and Mykolayiv the communal infrastructure is not working or is working intermittently.
Losses of personnel and military equipment of the RF Armed Forces
- personnel – more than 12,000 people
- tanks – 374
- armored combat vehicles – 1226
- artillery systems – 140
- means of air defense – 34
- aircraft – 74
- helicopters – 86
- automotive equipment – 600
- ships / boats – 3
During the war, the Armed Forces of Ukraine completely destroyed the 488th Motorized Rifle Regiment, which is stationed in the town of Klintsy (district center of Bryansk region).
During the battles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the commander of the Rosguard battalion, Major Dmytro Bezborodov from Balakovo, Saratov region, was killed.
It should be noted that due to significant losses, the Russian Federation sends to Ukraine “conscripts” from TOT to LO and TOT to K and prisoners.
Against the background of significant losses of manpower in the Russian military there is an unsatisfactory moral and psychological condition and low motivation to participate in hostilities in Ukraine. Thus, one of the Russian prisoners, a senior sapper of the Russian military № 51-532, during interrogation told the Security Service of Ukraine that 600 Marines of the Russian Armed Forces were to land near Odesa, but they refused, understanding the consequences.
And in some units stationed in the Brest region of the Republic of Belarus, there are riots – servicemen, including officers, express their reluctance to take part in the war against Ukraine. The number of Interior Ministry officers leaving the country with their families has also increased. To quell military protests, the command began appointing Russian officers to senior positions in the army.
Cases of resistance from the local population
Residents of various Ukrainian cities continue to actively resist the Russian occupation. Thus, rallies of local residents continue in the temporarily occupied city of Berdyansk, Zaporizhia region. Residents of Kherson also once again went to a peaceful rally under the slogan “We are Ukrainians, not Katsap slaves.” A peaceful rally took place on the main square of Slavutych, Chernihiv region. People demanded permission for the green corridor so that the shift workers detained by the Russian occupation forces at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant for more than two weeks could be replaced by other workers.
According to the head of the Volyn Military-Civil Administration Yuri Pohulyak, the region nationalized 23 trucks (TIR) and goods from Russia and the Republic of Belarus. Part of the transport will be given to the military and border guards. The rest of the vehicles will carry humanitarian aid to other regions.
Civilian casualties
82 children have died in Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion. This was stated by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Alexei Danilov. Almost 100 were injured. Most victims were in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Sumy, Kherson and Zhytomyr regions. According to the head of the Donetsk OVCA Pavlo Kyrylenko, 67 civilians have been killed and 320 wounded since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine in the Donetsk region.
Prepared by Denis Bogush, expert of the Center for Russian Studies, International Headquarters for Assistance to Ukrainians
