Small Wars Journal

Ukraine: WAR BULLETIN March 9, 10.00 EST

Wed, 03/09/2022 - 8:01pm

 

 
UK EMB

 Embassy of Ukraine in the USA

 

WAR BULLETIN

March 9, 10.00 EST

 

Dmytro Kuleba: The only electrical grid supplying the Chornobyl NPP and all its nuclear facilities occupied by Russian army is damaged.

Russia continues to focus its efforts on encircling the city of Kyiv, capturing the cities of Sumy, Kharkiv, Mariupol, and Mykolayiv; providing a land corridor between the temporary occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the mainland of the Russian Federation.

Deputy Prime Minister: “Ukraine calls on Russia to comply with the obligations to cease fire at the sites of humanitarian corridors.”

Russian terrorists are neglecting any human values and continue to destroy hospitals and attack doctors in Ukraine. During the 13 days of the war 61 hospitals have been damaged.

Commissioner for human rights of Ukraine: “As of March 9, 2022, since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, 61 children have died and 100 children have been injured.”

 

 

WAR ROOM

 

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

The fourteenth day of the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people to the Russian military invasion continues.

The enemy significantly reduced the pace of troop advance, but did not refuse to conduct an offensive operation.

Russia is losing manpower and equipment; its personnel is demoralized. The enemy continues to focus its efforts on encircling the city of Kyiv, capturing the cities of Sumy, Kharkiv, Mariupol, and Mykolayiv; providing a land corridor between the TOT of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the mainland of the Russian Federation.

The formation of the enemy's reserves in the points of permanent deployment continues in order to further transfer them to certain areas in our country.

Due to the fierce resistance of the residents of Kherson, the occupiers are trying to impose an administrative-police regime, for which units of the Russian guard were deployed in the Kherson region, which illegally detained more than 400 citizens of Ukraine.

In the Volyn direction, the enemy does not carry out offensive actions, but there is a high probability of sabotage at military facilities and civilian infrastructure in Rivne and Lviv regions by sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the invaders.

In the Polissya direction, the enemy is acting with the help of separate units of the 29th, 35th, and 36th all-military armies of the Pacific Fleet and the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation.

After an unsuccessful offensive, a significant number of units of the occupiers' strike group suffered casualties and were hastily withdrawn to recovery areas. Combat equipment is usually not evacuated by the enemy.

According to available information, the enemy is regrouping in preparation for another attempt to take Kyiv. After an unsuccessful offensive in the direction of settlement Fastiv, enemy is trying to resume offensive operations in this direction.

In the northern direction, the enemy, with the help of separate units of 2, 41 general armies and 90 tank divisions of the Central Military District, is trying to resume the offensive.

By forces to BTGr the enemy made crossing over the river Trubizh, blocked the highway E95 in the area of settlement Zalissya. The enemy suffered losses on the outskirts of Chernihiv and other areas. In order to restore the fighting capacity of the group, BTGr from 55 separate motorized infantry brigades of 41 all-military armies of the Central Military District from the operational reserve was transferred to the territory of Ukraine.

In the Slobozhansky direction, the enemy forces separate units of the 1st Tank Army (up to 11 BTGr), the 20th All-Military Army (up to 8 BTGr), the 6th All-Military Army (up to 3 BTGr) of the Western Military District, the 14th Army Corps of the Northern Fleet (to 1 BTGr) tries to keep the line from city Severodonetsk to the city of Sumy. The main efforts are focused on trying to surround the city of Kharkiv and reach the barrier on the Dnieper River. Preparations for the attack on Sumy are underway. The enemy is concentrating army aircraft to ensure airborne action.

In the Donetsk direction, the occupiers of the 1st, 2nd Army Corps and separate units of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th General Army (up to 7 BTGr) are trying to continue offensive operations in previously selected areas to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

In the Tavriya direction, the enemy, with the help of separate units of the 49th General Army, the 22nd Army Corps, the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th General Army and the Airborne Troops (up to 17 BTGr) holds the border from Kherson to Rozivka. Attempts to force the Southern Bug River were unsuccessful. Uses Kherson International Airport to base combat aircraft.

In the South-Buh operational area, the Russian invaders are holding the border from the city of Kherson to Kakhovka. Separate units of the 49th All-Military Army of the Southern Military District were stopped northeast of the city of Mykolayiv along the Ingul River.

https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/268420482137704

 

On the night of March 9, in the village of Andriyivka, Balakliia district, a battle took place between the military of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the enemy (SRGE). The enemy attacked the block post. As a result of the battle, the enemy SRGE was completely defeated.

https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/268395735473512

 

The total combat losses of the Russian forces 24.02 to 09.03:

personnel – more than 12 000,

tanks ‒ 317,

APV ‒ 1070,

artillery systems – 120,

MLRS - 56,

anti-aircraft warfare systems - 28,

aircrafts – 49,

helicopters – 81,

vehicles - 482,

boats / cutters - 3,

fuel tanks - 60,

UAV operational-tactical level - 7.

https://bit.ly/3hYxME5

 

Ministry of Health of Ukraine

Russian terrorists are neglecting any human values and continue to destroy hospitals and attack doctors in Ukraine. Today, the newly built admission department of the Izium Central City Hospital in the Kharkiv oblast was completely destroyed again – mercilessly and purposefully.

Yesterday Russia attacked an ambulance in Severodonetsk city, while doctors were performing their professional duties. Everyone in the ambulance received injuries and concussions.

During the 13 days of the war 61 hospitals have been damaged. This is another evidence of the complete violation of all existing international humanitarian laws.

https://www.facebook.com/viktor.liashko

 

 

Deputy Prime Minister / Minister for Reintegration of Temporary Occupied Territories

As of 9.00 am today we received the confirmation from the Armed Forces of Russia for the usage of earlier proposed by Ukrainian side corridors for humanitarian evacuation. In addition to that Red Cross has issued official letter to the Russian side with confirmation of such corridors establishment. In it`s turn Ukrainian side has issued a letter to the Red Cross, as a result of which Prime Minister of Ukraine is having talks with the Head of international Committee of Red Cross. All the efforts are being taken to receive a confirmation from the Armed Forces of Russia regarding the humanitarian corridors approval for blocked by warfare civilians.

It was preliminary confirmed to cease fire from 9am to 9pm CEP 9 March. Following directions are to be used for evacuation: Energodar – Zaporizhzhya, Sumi – Poltava, Mariupol – Zaporizhzhya, Volnovaha – Pokrovsk, Izum – Lozova, from Kyiv region (Vorzel, Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel, Borodianka) – city of Kyiv.

“I address the Russian Federation. You took upon yourself the official obligations to cease fire from 9 am till 9pm 9 March 2022. We have a negative experience when confirmed obligations were not executed by the Russian side on the direction of Mariupol – Zaporizhzhya, Volnovaha – Pokrovsk.”

https://www.facebook.com/president.gov.ua/videos/708925786928646

 

POLICY

 

Office of the President of Ukraine

Transcript of the Address of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Brave Ukrainians of the unconquered country!

It is already the 14th day of our defense. The 14th day of our unity. Truly all-Ukrainian. The scale of the threat to the state is maximum. The invasion contingent has already brought into our territory almost everyone who was gathered to invade Ukraine. But the scale of our answer is maximum as well. And these are two different words "maximum". 

They have only equipment. At the maximum. We have our people in addition to the equipment. Up to the mark. They only have orders. To attack, to kill, to abuse. And we have a real desire of millions of Ukrainians to win. Defend ourselves. Clear our state...

 

And on the renewed land

There will be no enemy, adversary,

And there will be a son, and there will be a mother,

And there will be people on the land.

 

Today is Taras Shevchenko's birthday. This is our old dream. It is his dream to clean the land. And it is alive! And quite real.

Ukrainians! Everything is in our hands! We withstood and inspired the whole world with our determination. There is no such place on earth where they are not aware of the heroism with which the Ukrainian people defend our beautiful land. Even where we are not supported, they know well what we have achieved. And they feel what else we will achieve if we save the country. If we maintain unity. National force. If we continue to respond wisely and boldly to the activity of the enemy who can destroy the walls of our homes, our schools, our churches, who can destroy Ukrainian enterprises, but will never reach our soul, our heart, our ability to live freely and fight boldly.

Our military and territorial defense units managed to replenish the arsenal of our equipment due to the many trophies they took on the battlefield. Enemy tanks, armored vehicles, ammunition will now work for our defense. For our lives. For our country. What could be more humiliating for the invaders? We will beat the enemy with his own weapons. In addition to ours, which the Russian troops have already felt well, so that more and more enemy soldiers and commanders are asking themselves a simple question: why were they sent to this foreign land, to this war? And we have no answer. Except for one word - death.

Russian soldiers! You still have a chance to survive. Almost two weeks of our resistance have shown you that we will not give up. Because this is our home. These are our families and children. We will fight until we regain our land and take revenge for all our killed people. For the killed children. You can still be saved if you just leave. Do not believe your commanders when they tell you that you still have a chance in Ukraine. Nothing is waiting for you here. Except for captivity, except for death. You take our lives and give yours. And we know - we have communications interception - that your commanders already understand everything. This war must be ended. We must return to peace. Leave our home, go back to yours.

14 days of a full-scale brutal war. Terror against our people.

Destruction of cities, blockade of entire districts, constant bombing... 14 days of absence of a vital decision. Not our decision! We would make that decision in hours if we had to help our friends.

From the first day of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has been repeating to its partners that if you do not close the sky, you will also be responsible for this catastrophe, a large-scale humanitarian catastrophe. Russia uses missiles, aircraft, helicopters against us, against civilians, against our cities, against our infrastructure. This is the world's humanitarian duty to respond. But... There is no decision.

We are grateful to Poland for the alternative - for its readiness to provide Ukraine with combat aircraft. The problem is in logistics. In fact, it is a technical issue. It must be solved! Immediately. There is an official decision of Poland to transfer the planes to the relevant base - the American base. We also have confirmation - we have all heard - that the agreement between the American party and Poland has been reached. But at the same time we hear that Poland's proposal is allegedly unfounded. And that's what they say in Washington. We also read this. So when will the decision be made? Listen: we have a war! We do not have time for all these signals. This is not ping pong! This is about human lives! We ask once again: solve it faster. Do not shift the responsibility, send us planes.

Yesterday we finally managed to organize a humanitarian corridor. From the city of Sumy to Poltava. 1,600 students and 3,500 residents were rescued. Evacuation of people from cities and towns of the Kyiv region continues. More than 18,000 people have already been rescued from Dymer, Vorzel and Irpin. Today we will do everything to continue the functioning of humanitarian corridors. Sumy - Poltava. Izyum - Lozova. Enerhodar - Zaporizhzhia. Mariupol - Zaporizhzhia. Vorzel, Bucha, Borodyanka, Hostomel to Kyiv. Our government officials are working on this, our servicemen have created all the conditions. If there is at least one shot, full responsibility lies with the invaders.

And you have already seen the world’s response. Powerful. Sanction packages.

In the morning I spoke with Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. We have full understanding. Full support. Our delegation returned from Belarus last night, from negotiations. I will listen to their report. We will prepare for the next rounds of talks. For the sake of Ukraine. For peace.

And finally. Concerning our unity. This is our strength. This is what is needed at this time. We are receiving a lot of signals that someone in Ukraine has decided that he or she may not fight anymore together with everyone. And tries somehow separately, for something personal, for some personal benefit...

We are receiving various signals that some politicians are looking for threads to Russia again.

And some others are again working for a split, contrary to unity.

I want to say one thing and only once: I see what you are doing. If I hear another signal, the answer will be quick. As befits wartime.

Thank God, our people have already sorted everything and everyone out.

Glory to Ukraine!

https://www.facebook.com/president.gov.ua/videos/497134415364057 , https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/ukrayinci-vistoyali-j-nadihnuli-ves-svit-svoyeyu-rishuchisty-73457

 

Briefing of Mykhailo Arestovych

It has been the 14 day of the war. The enemy did not conduct any active actions overnight. It uses this pause for regrouping and mounting the forces to continue the advancement in the directions identified as priority ones: Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Mykolaiv. However, it gains no success. The Armed Forces of Ukraine conduct powerful artillery and aviation strikes at the enemy, not allowing it a possibility to advance. The military and political leadership of Ukraine, as well as the Armed Forces commandership control the situation. The enemy suffers losses and loses the stamina, surrenders to our Armed Forces. Due to this, the enemy is redirecting its main actions into the information sphere.  The Ukrainian specialists have identified that the majority of the destroyed ammunition claimed by the occupants as Ukrainian is in fact Russian.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Defense Forces also suffer losses, but these losses are much smaller compared to the enemy’s. The leadership of Ukraine is doing efforts to ensure the evacuation of civilians from Sumy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Brovary, Gostomel, Bucha, Mariupol. This morning a part of the humanitarian corridors started working. The report on the developments in this sphere will soon be available by the Ministry of the occupied territories of Ukraine.

https://www.facebook.com/president.gov.ua/videos/1260803501110146/

 

Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine

On March 8, the occupation troops of the Russian Federation continue to carry out massive shelling of the territory of the Kyiv region.

In addition, Russian servicemen opened fire on residential houses in Mokrets village, Brovary District. The shell hit the cellar where a 63-year-old local resident was located. The man died of his wounds at the scene of the shelling.

In Bogdanivka, the occupants fired at a civilian vehicle, which resulted in the death of a civilian.

Also, debris from the missile hit the territory of customs warehouses in Kalynivka village, Brovary district, and as a result, they burned down.

 

State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine

The State Service for Special Communications along with mobile operators regularly inform Ukrainian citizens, who were forced to move abroad after Russia's invasion, about the work of Ukrainian diplomatic missions. 

In order to provide citizens an opportunity to read news and stay in touch with their relatives, operators also organized access to the Internet in bomb shelters.

Communications networks continue to work stably, except in vulnerable areas where hostilities continue. The State Service for Special Communications organized access of emergency repair crews to critical telecommunication infrastructure facilities in order to restore it, in particular in Sumy, Chernihiv, Kherson and Kharkiv regions. Digital television broadcasting has been restored in Kharkiv. And in Sumy region, the work of emergency numbers was resumed.

JSC Ukrtelecom lifted the speed limit on Internet access in all regions, except Sumy, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Zakarpattia. In Chernihiv region, services are temporarily not provided due to damage to infrastructure during hostilities. In total, 75% of Ukrtelecom's regional communication network operate and provide services to users.

https://www.facebook.com/dsszzi/posts/270515421926268 

 

Commissioner for Human Rights in Ukraine

Ludmila Denisova statement

Russian militants have seized a pre-trial detention center in temporarily occupied Kherson.

 Russian soldiers stormed the building of the Kherson pre-trial detention center, whose staff and detainees were evacuated before the occupation.

 Currently, its premises are being arranged for the needs of Russian guard units that arrived in the city the day before.

 In Kherson and nearby settlements, the occupiers are trying to establish a police regime.  More than 400 Ukrainian citizens have already been illegally arrested for resisting the aggressors.

 According to preliminary information, the pre-trial detention center will be used to house our detained citizens.

 The criminal actions of Russian militants violate the requirements of the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949, which concern the protection of victims of international armed conflicts.

 I appeal to the international community to take these facts into account when imposing additional sanctions on the terrorist state Russian Federation.

https://www.facebook.com/denisovaombudsman/posts/499115414903069

 

As of March 9, 2022, since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, 61 children have died and 100 children have been injured.

The fate of 55 children from an orphanage in Vorzel, Kyiv Region, remains unknown today.

A 6-year-old girl died of dehydration in Mariupol for the first time in decades, probably for the first time since the Nazi invasion.  Rescuers pulled her out from under the rubble of the house.

Yesterday in the town of Malyn, Zhytomyr region, as a result of the air strike, 7 private one-storey residential buildings were Destroyed, 5 people died, including 2 children born in 2021.

Such actions of the armed forces of the Russian Federation pose a direct threat to the life and health of the civilian population, contradict the norms of international humanitarian law and violate the fundamental rights of children - the right to life and health.

https://www.facebook.com/denisovaombudsman/posts/499059514908659

 

ENERGY

 

Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba

The only electrical grid supplying the Chornobyl NPP and all its nuclear facilities occupied by Russian army is damaged. CNPP lost all electric supply. I call on the international community to urgently demand Russia to cease fire and allow repair units to restore power supply.

Reserve diesel generators have a 48-hour capacity to power the Chornobyl NPP. After that, cooling systems of the storage facility for spent nuclear fuel will stop, making radiation leaks imminent. Putin’s barbaric war puts entire Europe in danger. He must stop it immediately!

https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1501531157510426625

https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1501531432031858690

 

Ukrenergo

Because of military actions of Russian invaders nuclear power plant in Chornobyl was fully disconnected from the power grid. Nuclear station has no power supply. The military actions are in progress, so there is no possibility to restore the lines. Slavutich city is also out of power supply.

https://www.facebook.com/npcukrenergo/posts/327328592769306

 

Operation of the power system of Ukraine in the evening on 8 March

The 13th day of the operation of the Ukrainian power system under the most severe test during its entire existence is coming to an end. In spite of this, our power system is stable and reliable. The power grid frequency is 50 Hz.

Today, electricity in homes – a chance to survive for those who found themselves in areas of hostilities. It’s an opportunity to warm up, to cook, it’s a work of communication that allows you to tell your loved ones that you’re fine. That is why the repair crews of Ukrenergo and oblenergos are repairing damaged power lines and substations again and again every day, finding new ways to give light to people when the infrastructure is completely destroyed. They are sincerely happy when they succeed.

Electricity is now produced enough to meet all the needs of the military, household, and other consumers. There is no need to economize electricity. All types of power plants, nuclear, thermal, solar, wind, and hydropower, are operating. Zaporizhzhya NPP and Chornobyl NPP facilities are still blocked by Russian invaders, but nuclear power units are operated by NNEGC Energoatom.

Finally, the synchronization of the Ukrainian power system with the power system of Continental Europe ENTSO-E is coming to the finish line. This gives confidence that Ukraine will receive additional reliable and strong support from European partners strengthening our country’s energy security.

https://cutt.ly/XAU8Pyh

Energoatom

All Ukrainian NPPs operate

As of 09:00 СET on 9 March, the existing nuclear power plants of Ukraine continue to operate stably. The current capacity of all four Ukrainian NPPs provides electricity for the country.

Radiation, fire and environmental conditions at nuclear power plants and adjacent territories have not changed and are within current standards.

Under martial law and full-scale aggression of Russia, Energoatom strengthened its control and determined the exclusive priority of safety issues of nuclear facilities over all others.

The main equipment of the reactor compartments of power units, premises and buildings of power plants, the perimeters of protected areas and adjacent areas, as well as particularly important NPP facilities outside their protected areas are under strict supervision and control.

Zaporizhzhya NPP and the city of Energodar have been under the control of Russian military formations for 5 days now. As of the morning of 9 March on the territory of the station, there are:

- 50 units of heavy equipment;

- about 400 military;

- lots of explosives and weapons.

Although the NPP staff work at all six power units, the station management is forced to coordinate all technical issues with the aggressos.

The workers of the station are under strong psychological pressure from the aggressors. They expected to be welcomed at the ZNPP, but our people resisted, refused to cooperate with the military invaders and did not hide their open hostility to them.

All mentioned above negatively affects work and endangers nuclear and radiation safety.

Currently, two power units of Zaporizhzhya NPP are operating in the grid. On 7 March 2022, power unit N6 was put into emergency repair. The reason is damage during the Russian shelling of the block transformer. No changes in the radiation status at the ZNPP site and adjacent territories have been recorded.

Two 750 kV high-voltage lines - Zaporizhzhya and South Donbass - remain disconnected due to damage. There is no possibility to deliver food to the stores of the satellite city of Energodar, stocks are left for one day.

https://www.facebook.com/energoatom.ua/posts/365090492289404