Thread by @michaelh992

Thread on #Russia's invasion of #Ukraine - March 16

Kyiv is still under the 35-hour-long curfew imposed yesterday by the Mayor following orders from the regional military administration. The curfew will last until tomorrow morning, 07:00 (7 am).

This morning Russia once against struck Kyiv, including the Shevchenkivskyi district, where a 12-story building was hit according to the Ukrainian emergency service

Two people were wounded and 37 evacuated for now. Search an rescue operations continue as of this morning

Additional pictures from the evacuation operation. The Ukrainian emergency services are doing a great job, I can't imagine how scary a rescue operation in a building that has partially collapsed is.

Russian strikes were also reported this morning in Zaporizhzhia, hitting near a railway station and a botanical garden, as well as overnight in Nikopol. Explosions were also heard in Vinnitsya

(picture is from Nikopol overnight)

Planet lab sat images of the Chornobaivka airport taken yesterday show a second attack against the Russian-controlled airport. Forward deployment of Russian helicopters has been costly, this is the second attack on the base.

This will help fend off attacks against Mykolaiv

The Russian Maj. General killed yesterday in Mariupol was identified as Oleg Mityaev, the commander of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division, a former deputy commander of the Russian contingent in #Syria amongst others.

https://twitter.com/michaelh992/status/1503655964645498885

He is the fourth general to be killed in #Ukraine, and at least (according to my count, but I may be missing some) the tenth high-ranking (above Lt. Col.) Russian officer to be killed.

GRAPHIC: Video released yesterday by the Ukrainian military with the mention:

"Ukrainian Luhansk oblast has become a grave for many russian occupiers! Soldiers of the Airborne Assault Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine help them go to hell."

🚩Meanwhile, this morning Mykhailo Podolyak (a member of #Ukraine's negotiation team and Presidential advisor) reported that the Ukrainian military is carrying out counter-offensives. ⬇️

https://twitter.com/Podolyak_M/status/1504001010787921924

Unclear as of now where those are carried out, and their scope. Previous counter-ops were carried out south of Chernihiv, north and east of Kharkiv, and along Russian supply line to the northwestern #Kyiv frontline (amongst others)

Remain of a missile in Kyiv's Shevchenkivskyi district

"Russia would like to reach an agreement with Ukraine for generations in order to live in peace" said the head of the Russian delegation, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky quoted by TASS.

The Russian army claims to have foiled a Ukrainian offensive against the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station (one of Ukraine counter-attacks?).

The fact that they even just reached the hydroelectric station (taken on the first day of the Russian invasion) would be significant

(of course this needs to be confirmed)

Russian shelling this morning hit a queue of people that were waiting to buy bread in Chernihiv according to the Ukrainian radio. At least ten civilians were killed.
suspilne.media/218099-u-cerni…

The Ukrainian land forces released this video indicating that it shows the destruction of a Russian pontoon bridge unit by artillery units of the 128th separate mountain assault brigade. Russian bridge destroyed using a grad rocket barrage.

Geolocation

https://twitter.com/rollowastaken/status/1504062874544746498

The video was also posted by the 128th itself
facebook.com/watch/?v=53791…

Destroyed Russian equipment in the Kyiv region (no specific location)

This would be quite significant I think, although the Russian air force isn't as present as one would think it is (at least from what I am seeing).

https://twitter.com/jimsciutto/status/1504067534684921862

The US Embassy is now reporting the incident

https://twitter.com/USEmbassyKyiv/status/1504074846342418434

I am not certain the version of the event ("shot and killed") is correct, though I did see other claiming they were "shot". Russian forces aren't in Chernihiv (that I know of), and this may be a misunderstanding of the initial reports (unless I am myself misunderstanding it)

The Ukrainian military's air force command claims that a Russian plane was shot down this morning as Russian forces tried to break through the defenses of Chernihiv with air and artillery support.

#Breaking Russian Security Council head, Nikolai Patrushev held a phone call with the White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan regarding #Ukraine, according to RIA

I think this is the first official/direct contact between a US and Russian officials since the invasion started (at least that I can recall).

Putin is also speaking now claiming that the operations is going "according to plan", and justifying attacks outside of the Donbass by saying that focusing on the Donbass would not have led to the "elimination of the threat".

He reiterated the claim that the US is trying to cover up traces of bio-military development in #Ukraine

🚩The Ukrainian military and military intelligence claim that Russian forces are burning the bodies of dead separatist fighters, including those with a Russian passport, to try and hide casualties
facebook.com/DefenceIntelli…
facebook.com/photo?fbid=273…

Putin says that the West's "economic blitzkrieg" against the Russian Federation failed

[that's a little early to draw that conclusion contrary to the Russian military blitzkrieg in Ukraine, which clearly failed]

Multiple Ukrainian reports that Russian forces attacked the evacuation route out of Mariupol, leading to injuries.

This video is from a convoy of cars that was moving towards Zaporizhya and was attacked (published by UNIAN)

Another Ukrainian outlet reports that the attack took place earlier this afternoon near Stepnohorsk, with shells hitting a convoy of cars wounding five, including a child who is in a serious condition.

Two days ago, Russia also destroyed a bridge used to evacuate people from Enerhodar, in the same area.

https://twitter.com/michaelh992/status/1503277555318677504

Latest Ukrainian General Staff briefing (few hours ago) on the situation had some interesting details, including the Ukrainian military reporting that Russian ships have shelled several coastal area south of Odessa, including near Lebedivka

Russian forces have clearly planned a landing operation to capture Odessa, but (like much of the invasion) things are not going according to plan.

>>

I think resistance in Mykolaiv in particular, is holding up the Russian landing force, as attacking just from the sea (likely south of Odessa), without ground support from the north, is suicidal - not that the Russians haven't carried out suicidal ops so far.

This shelling could be meant to pave the way for an eventual landing in the coming days, though Russian forces are still in no position to do so, in my opinion.

Despite the attack against a civilian convoy earlier, four thousand people arrived from Mariupol to Zaporizhya according to the secretary of the Zaporizhya city council.

The Vinnitsya TV mast was destroyed in an airstrike (likely earlier today or overnight). Clear effort by Russia to hit TV towers.

Unconfirmed reports that Russia bombed the Mariupol Drama Theater which was used as shelter by hundreds city's residents.

🚩This is now being reported by the Mariupol City Council: A Russian plane dropped a bomb on the Drama Theater in the center of Mariupol, where hundreds of residents were taking shelter.

The Mariupol City Council says that information about the number of victims is still unavailable.

Aftermath of the bombing - image published by the Mariupol City Council (though seems to be coming from a different channel)

Russian trolls are already trying to pass the theater as an "Azov headquarters", based on some "reports" circulated by separatists, which is not a good sign.

Another picture of the aftermath of the strike against the drama theater in Mariupol where residents were taking shelters.

Video

As further confirmation of the footage/pictures: This is an image taken in December 2021, at around the same place as the one on the right, near the theater (can be found on Google maps)

On cue, the Russian Ministry of Defense denies it carried out an airstrike against the Mariupol theater, claiming that the Azov Battalion was planning a "bloody provocation".
facebook.com/mod.mil.rus/po…