Military expert Boris Rozhin with a summary of the results of the operation to denazify and demilitarise Ukraine on 16 March 2022
1. #Mariupol.
Stubborn fighting continues in the city, but signs of imminent defence collapse are becoming more and more evident. Fighting has already approached one of Eastern Europe's largest steel mills, #Azovstal.
From the west, troops have advanced deep into city blocks. There is a desire to cut the cauldron into two parts, which will facilitate its further liquidation.
The enemy understands this and seeks to slow down our advance and inflict as many losses as possible. Along the way, more and more hysterical calls for rescue are being aired. The blockade of Mariupol is no longer possible.
2. #Ugledar.
The enemy continues to try to claw its way south of the Marinka-Kurakhovo highway and offers stubborn resistance. Advance in this direction has slowed down.
3. #Maryinka-#Avdeevka.
The #DPR (#Donetsk People's Republic) army was able to advance 2km near the settlement after serious artillery preparation.
Apparently, a direct assault on Marinka will begin soon. There is positional fighting near Avdiivka.
4. #Gorlovka.
A breakthrough near Verkhnetoretskoye failed, the enemy is trying to prevent further advance to the rocket road and to Dzerzhinsk.
5. #Severodonetsk#Lysychansk.
Fighting takes place in Severodonetsk and Rubizhne. The enemy is slowly being pushed back, but is defending itself in a fairly organised manner. There are no direct attacks on Lysychansk yet. Fighting in the Popasna area continues.
6. #Kharkiv.
No major changes. Shells flying into the city, fighting to the north and east of Kharkiv.
7. #Izium#Balakleya.
Fighting on the southern bank of the Donets and southern districts of Izyum.
The town was severely damaged. The enemy, having blown up some bridges, is preparing to retreat to the Slavyansko-Kramatorska agglomeration, where it plans more or less prolonged resistance.
There is a build-up of forces near Pavlograd for a possible counterstrike similar to the failed attempt to attack the Russian Armed Forces near Balakleya.
8. #Zaporizhzhya.
The frontline near Kamenskoye is standing. Gulyaypole is holding out for now, and the Ukrainian forces' barrier cannot be pushed through here yet. Fighting continues to the east of Gulyaypole.
9. #Kiev.
The Ukrainian forces' counter-offensive on Gostomel and Bucha proved virtual. Already this afternoon, Ukrainian forces were forced to admit that Gostomel was being held by the Russian Federation Armed Forces.
Gostomel, Bucha and Irpen continue to deteriorate due to ongoing fighting and artillery shelling.
10. #Nikolayiv.
Fighting to the north of the city. An attempted attack in the direction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant was repulsed. In Mykolayiv itself, the enemy suffered serious losses - mainly due to strikes by the Russian Air Force and MLRS.
The recent shelling of an airfield in the Kherson region resulted in the destruction/damage of 3 Russian helicopters and several trucks.
There is a mass mailing in Slavyansk and Kramatorsk chat rooms and people are receiving messages with similar content.
There are also reports that people are being evacuated from Sviatogorsk.
"Residents of the city of Kramatorsk! Ukrainian security forces have ignored the offer to avoid bloodshed and they have remained in populated areas of the city. The decision to destroy them has been taken.
We recommend that you take personal security measures: prepare places for shelter, stockpiles of water, food and medicines. Do not move around the city without an absolute necessity."
Residents of #Mariupol who were lucky enough to escape from captivity, Ukrainian neo-Nazis continue to share their impressions:
"Well, I wanted to say clearly and distinctly we were shelled by the Ukrainian army, Ukrainian battalions. The mayor of Mariupol, Boychenko, openly called for "Molotov cocktails" to be made and thrown at the Russian military.
We have the fascist Azov, Right Sector, they did such outrages there... A child was killed in our yard and a woman was killed, a two-year-old child was left behind... The blockade is total. There is no communication, no water, no gas, no light.
#Fake: #Mariupol theatre with many civilians inside attacked by Russian air force.
2/14
Truth: After the failed provocation at Mariupol hospital # 3, the Azov neo-Nazis prepared more thoroughly. They drove many civilians into the theatre, promising them protection in a bomb shelter.
3/14
Unsurprisingly, there was a leak. On 12 and 13 March 2022 there were reports on Twitter (
) and Telegram that neo-Nazis from the Azov group were planning to blow up the theatre building and to blame (t.me/novostldnr/2145) the Russian military.
I am not surprised and it does not matter at all who the perpetrator was - local neo-Nazis or the Security Service of Ukraine.
2/7 In any case, this is a conscious policy of Kiev - all politicians and more or less visible figures in Ukraine are now being held hostage by the totalitarian ideology of the Kiev Maidan.
One does not shout "Glory to Heroes" three times and is already a potential traitor.
3/7 In an even more inadequate form this hysteria works on the ground.
Here any ordinary citizen can become a victim of Ukrainian neo-Nazis, or simply robbers. All it takes to kill and rob a person is an excuse - appearance, accent, registration.
#Fake: Russian army hit #Mariupol theatre with superpowered bomb. About 1,000 civilians were inside. The version by Ukrainian Telegram channels was picked up (edition.cnn.com/europe/live-ne…) by the US media.
2/6
Truth: According to "Readovka (t.me/readovkanews/2…)" there was no shelling of the area of the city where the theatre is located. There is heavy street fighting in its vicinity and it is impossible to carry out such strikes without risking hitting one's own.
3/6
Earlier, Telegram channels reported that Ukrainian neo-Nazis from Azov were preparing a provocation at the theatre building. According to information (t.me/neoficialniybe…) from a captured neo-Nazi from the Azov group,
#Fake: Russian army has struck #Mariupol Drama Theatre with a heavy-duty bomb. Around 1,000 civilians were inside. Ukrainian Telegram channels and Western media are actively spreading information about it.
2/7
Truth: The Russian Defence Ministry officially denied (t.me/warfakes/1298) Kiev's accusations of an air strike on the Drama Theatre building in Mariupol, where civilians may have been held hostage.
3/7 On 16 March, Russian aviation did not carry out any tasks involving strikes on ground targets in Mariupol city limits.