Small Wars Journal

WAR BULLETIN March 1, 2022, 09.00 a.m. (EST) WAR ROOM (Ukraine)

Tue, 03/01/2022 - 12:09pm
Some fascinating information from Ukraine. In response to my query on dissemination and citing a source I received the following message. I am now on their distribution list.
 
This covers the range of enemy KIA/POW and equipment destroyed to Russian population and resources control measures in occupied areas to cyber to policy actions by Ukraine.  
 
Yes, for dissemination. Factually, it is collected, reviewed, and finalized by Ukraine officials. As to citing source: UA (Ukraine) Information Service.
 
WAR BULLETIN
March 1, 2022, 09.00 a.m. (EST)

WAR ROOM


General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine
Total estimated losses of the enemy from 24.02 to 01.03 as of 06:00 were: :
Personnel - 5710
Prisoners - 200
Destroyed and damaged:
aircraft – 29,
helicopters – 29,
tanks‒ 198,
APV ‒ 846,
artillery systems– 77,
Anti-aircraft warfare systems - 7,
MLRS - 24,
fuel tanks - 60,
UAV operational and tactical level - 3,
Boats – 2 ,
vehicles - 305.

From the beginning of the day, the enemy regrouped troops and fired missiles and bombs from the air. It attempted to land tactical landings. Widely used sabotage and reconnaissance teams to attack civilian and military infrastructure.
Defensive battles continue in the Siverskyi region in order to prevent the enemy from advancing to the capital from the north-eastern direction.

In the suburbs of Chernihiv, the appearance of separate enemy DRGs was noted, which, with the support of armored vehicles, tried to break into the city, but were destroyed by Ukrainian defenders.

In other areas, tank and mechanized units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with the support of aircraft and artillery, continue to conduct defensive battles on the occupied borders. Fire defeat of the enemy by all available means is carried out.

In Slobozhanshchyna, mechanized brigades and BTGs of Airborne Assault Troops from the operational group are destroying the manpower and military equipment of the Russian occupiers, who are trying to get in and restore the position on the first line of defense.

The Kyiv Defense Forces continue to defend the city, maintain the outer borders of the defense and critical state infrastructure, preventing the occupation units from approaching the suburbs of the capital. Active measures are being taken to identify and destroy the DRG of the enemy, who, ignoring the norms of international humanitarian law, disguises himself in the military uniform of the Armed Forces, National Guard, and National Police of Ukraine to infiltrate Kyiv through the battle formations of our troops.

The steady defense of our troops rapidly lowers the morale of the enemy and his will to win. Cases of desertion and voluntary captivity by entire units have been reported.

Thank you for the work of our Air Force. On the last day alone, they destroyed 5 planes of the Russian aggressor. About the total losses of the enemy a little later.

Losses inflicted on the Russian occupiers during the day 28.02.22 by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

During a defiant air raid by the occupiers on Vasylkiv and Brovary, Ukrainian fighter pilots intercepted and shot down two Russian planes.

The work of Ukrainian fighters was completed by anti-aircraft missile divisions S-300, hitting three planes of the occupiers. So the Air Force shot down five fighters. According to preliminary data, these are Su-30 and Su-35.

An anti-aircraft missile system Buk M-1 shot down a cruise missile and an enemy helicopter near Kyiv.

Ukrainian Su-25 attack aircraft worked in units and pairs and fired several missile and bomb strikes at columns of armored vehicles and enemy manpower in Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions.

Bomber aircraft also worked successfully. The Su-24m of the Air Force inflicted at least four devastating bombings on tank columns, columns of mechanized equipment, motor convoys with fuel, and lubricants in the Chernihiv region and near Berdyansk.

Well, traditionally, once again we celebrate the jewelry work of the crews of Bayraktar TB2. This time - three targets - an enemy tank and two anti-aircraft missile systems "Buk" occupiers!

The Russian occupier has reduced the pace of the offensive but is still trying to develop the pace of the offensive in certain areas in the offensive against Ukraine.

The sixth day of the Russian military invasion of Ukraine continues.

Columns of armored vehicles of the russian aggressors slowed down the pace of the offensive and have problems with security in Ukraine. Enemy troops are deprived of a systematic supply of fuel and ammunition.

Unsuccessful in capturing the oblasts centers of Kharkiv and Chernihiv, the occupiers fired rockets at residential areas of these cities.

In addition, the russian occupiers continue to surround the Ukrainian cities of Sumy, Lebedyn and Okhtyrka, the enemy is regrouping in order to continue the offensive in the direction of Kyiv.

In the Donetsk region, enemy troops with forces 1, 2 Army Corps units 8 Army of the Armed Forces of russian federation with the artillery support of the rf Armed Forces focused their efforts on capturing the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, to no avail. The goal of reaching the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions was not achieved.
In the Tavriya direction, the enemy reached the border with the available forces in the areas of the settlements of Skadovsk, Hola Prystan, Kherson, and Nova Kakhovka. After regrouping the offensive in the direction of Mykolayiv continues.

There were cases of robberies and looting by the occupiers in the areas of Bucha, Gostomel, Novy Basaniv.

Despite the fact that the russian federation is a state party to the Geneva Conventions for the Protection of Victims of War, its armed forces and the terrorist groups it supports continue to systematically and defiantly violate the norms of international humanitarian law in Ukraine.
Having lost offensive capabilities, the enemy concentrated on the encirclement of the city of Kyiv.

Despite the fact that the enemy is losing offensive potential, it continues to inflict fire on military and civilian targets and continues to conduct reconnaissance aircraft of the CAF of the RF Armed Forces, including using the airspace of the Republic of Belarus. Given that the enemy does not abandon the aspirations to achieve its goal, and its own offensive potential is almost exhausted, plans to join the most trained military units of the Republic of Belarus, completing the concentration along the State Border of Ukraine.

The situation around Kyiv remains tense. In Polissya, the enemy continues to try to resume the offensive in the direction of the capital. Russian occupation forces are using tactics to destroy infrastructure and launch missile and bomb strikes on settlements, disregarding international humanitarian law. In the Black Sea, due to adverse weather conditions, a naval landing operation in the coming days is unlikely. Most of the Black Sea Fleet's naval group is based. In all directions, units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the support of artillery and UAVs "Bayraktar TV2" maintain certain boundaries. The enemy did not succeed in any of the areas.
(https://www.facebook.com/100069092624537/posts/261804279465991/?d=n)


Office of the Prosecutor General

Link: https://bit.ly/3hsUcx7
In the rocket fire of Kyiv Region the occupants killed 4 civilians, destroyed houses - an investigation has been launched.
Under the procedural guidance of the Kyiv Region Prosecutor's Office, a pre-trial investigation is underway into the facts of rocket attacks on residential area in the region by the Russian troops. The actions of the aggressor country are qualified as a violation of the laws and customs of war (Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

According to the investigation, the servicemen of the Russian Federation are conducting massive shelling in residential areas of the settlements of Kyiv Region. Thus, in the evening of February 28, enemy missiles hit a five-story dormitory in Vasylkiv and a three-story dormitory in Bila Tserkva. Three residential buildings were destroyed due to the shelling in the village in Kalynivka, Fastiv district. Damage to the maternity hospital building was recorded in the Region.

Because of the shelling, the infrastructure of the cities was destroyed, five civilians were injured and four were killed.

National Police of Ukraine

During the day, the aggressor's troops regrouped and accumulated armored vehicles and missile and artillery weapons in certain areas, primarily to surround and capture Kyiv and major cities of Ukraine, including Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Odesa, Kherson and Mariupol.

A significant part of military equipment comes from the territory of Belarus and through the occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Some units of the most combat-ready units of the Armed Forces of Belarus have begun moving to the State Border of Ukraine in the Volyn direction. In addition, the territory of Belarus continues to be used for combat sorties of army, operational, tactical and special aircraft of the RF Armed Forces to perform tasks on the territory of our country.

The planes of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation resumed conducting air reconnaissance of objects on the territory of Ukraine from the airspace of the Republic of Belarus.

The enemy, losing offensive potential, loses with him and the human face. Numerous cases of violations of the laws of war and international humanitarian law by the Russian aggressor have been recorded along the entire offensive line.

The most common war crimes of the Russian occupiers: the use of weapons against civilians, bombing, rocket and artillery shelling of residential areas, which led to the destruction of civilian infrastructure. The enemy, for cover, uses state symbols and uniforms of the Armed Forces, the National Guard and the National Police of Ukraine.
Some Russian military columns are using Ukrainian flags. Such cases have been observed in the settlements of Peremoha, Nova Basan, Kyiv region, and on the Krasnostav-Nizhyn highway in the Chernihiv region.

During the advance of a line of tanks and armored personnel carriers, the aggressor fired on the homes of local residents in the Chernihiv region, from Talalaivka to Nizhyn.

Tanks from the Russian occupation forces on their way through the village of Borodyanka, on the orders of their commanders, began to deliberately destroy infrastructure and housing, and a separate group of tanks opened chaotic fire on high-rise buildings.

In addition, there have been cases where the enemy hangs a white flag on the vehicle, ostensibly to surrender. However, after approaching the Ukrainian positions, the occupiers began to open fire.

According to the available information, the commanders of the Russian tactical groups received an order to destroy the mobile communication towers in the course of advancing deep into the territory of Ukraine.

All this indicates that the Russian occupiers are terrified, because they did not receive any bread and salt promised by the propagandists. They received only the hatred and contempt of the civilian population and a worthy repulse of the Ukrainian army.

Rocket attack on Kharkiv

State Emergency Service
Video of the attack: https://bit.ly/3pqbDmt
Russian forces no longer hide that their air strikes are carried out on the civilian population.

Now, the enemy is cynically and demonstratively hitting with rockets the central part of Kharkiv. According to preliminary information, there are hits in the buildings of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, the Opera House, the Philharmonic and part of the residential area (mostly 4-5 storey residential buildings).

“Hybrid” actions of Russia in the course of its military against Ukraine

During the day of March 1 the following was observed:

the use of civilians as a “human shield” during the movement of enemy military convoys;

The enemy strives to boost the offensive on KYIV in three directions and to complicate opening of fire by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in order to decrease casualties among its own personnel;
enemy tries to spread panic among civilian population of large cities and influence on the moral of Ukrainian troops via launching missile, aviation and artillery strikes on residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, restriction of access to food for civilians.

In BORODIANKA the enemy has destroyed two supermarkets in result of deliberate shelling.
In BERDIANSK (Zaporizhia Oblast) the enemy has destroyed a television tower.
At the same time, such attempts in CHERNIHIV were unsuccessful. Mentioned acts are carried out in order to restrict an access to actual and truthful information for local population;
In KHARKIV the enemy shelled residential areas with MLRS BM-30 “Smerch”.
 
enemy’s attempts to disrupt the work of Ukrainian military-civilian authorities with the use of cyber warfare means.

In Odesa Oblast the enemy sent messages to the state authority mail boxes with appeals for evacuation under the guise of Security Service of Ukraine. Such messages contain a virus which gives an access for mail boxes of local authorities;
concealment of human losses by Russia and cremation of its dead servicemen in order to destruct the evidences of their involvement in the war
on the territory of Ukraine.

Absence of possibility to identify the dead bodies of Russian militaries will allow Kremlin to manipulate the data on combat losses via creating the lists of “missing persons” and “deserters”.

enemy’s measures against civilian people who conduct reconnaissance of movements and actions of Russian troops;

In Zaporizhia and Chernihiv Oblasts the occupiers carry out raids on residential buildings and confiscate cell phones from the locals. Moreover, the Russian militaries received orders to destroy cell towers for preventing leaks of information about their activities. At the same time, they started to use EW systems for jamming cell communication;
deception measures against our troops by using Ukrainian flags or white flags on enemy’s combat vehicles;

The enemy groups mounted white flags on its materiel under the pretext of surrender but after approaching to Ukrainian positions, they open a shoot-to-kill fire;
involvement of special combat groups in order to kill Ukrainian high-level officials.

The group consists of professionally prepared persons, active servicemen of the State Emergence Service of Ukraine or different law enforcement bodies of Ukraine from Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. The first detained member of such group was
a police officer from SLOVIANSK.



POLICY

President of Ukraine
https://fb.watch/btS_mi8UmZ/
A cruise missile from Belgorod this morning hit the largest square in Europe - The Freedom Square in Kharkiv. It resulted in dozens of civilian victims. No military targets are located in the places at which Russian military was aiming.  We are calling on all world leaders to respond to this war crime and declare that Russia is committing state terrorism for which it should be held responsible in international courts.

Kharkiv and Kyiv are now the main targets for Russia.

Kyiv in particular is strategically important target in the heart of Ukraine, and its defense is our key priority. General Mykola Zhernov, a professional military person, has been appointed as the Head of Kyiv City Military Administration for the duration of the war. Vitalii Klitschko remains the Mayor of Kyiv.

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on the opening by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court of an investigation into the Situation in Ukraine

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Mr Karim A.A. Khan QC, has decided to proceed with opening a formal investigation into the Situation in Ukraine.

The events of recent days, in particular, the unprovoked escalation of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, give reason to believe that crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC continue to be committed on the territory of Ukraine.

Along with the situation in the Crimea and the Donbas, recent events suggest that the aggressor's troops continue to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Despite the fact that Ukraine is not a Party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the state has accepted its jurisdiction on the basis of declarations lodged earlier.

Yes, Ukraine has lodged two declarations with the International Criminal Court. The first declaration concerned the events that took place in Ukraine in the period from 21 November 2013 to 22 February 2014, and the second one concerned the continuation of crimes committed in the period from 20 February 2014 onwards. The analysis of these two declarations gave the Office of the Prosecutor every reason to assert that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed.

Russia's top military and political leadership is bound to appear before the International Criminal Court and be held accountable for every crime committed.

This will be the Nuremberg trial of the 21st century.

Appeal of the Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights in Ukraine Lyudmyla Denysova

In 1949, as a result of the devastating World War II, European countries adopted the most important instrument of international humanitarian law - the four Geneva Conventions. With the ratification of which the countries of the civilized world have confirmed their intention never to allow such a tragedy again.

At the heart of these conventions and their protocols is the prohibition of killing and ill-treatment of civilians, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the use of weapons that cause undue damage or unnecessary suffering.

In the best traditions of the Hitlerite Empire, the military forces of the Russian Federation fire mostly on the civilian population and civilian infrastructure, taking lives every hour and leveling entire cities and villages. Using weapons prohibited by the Geneva Conventions and a number of international treaties.

The city of Kharkiv is shelled by cluster bombs filled with "petal" mines that are recognized as illegal weapons under the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Cluster Munitions and on Their Destruction.

Enemy anti-personnel mines were found near residential buildings in Berdyansk, Zaporizhia Oblast, which are not permitted under the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction.

The use of such weapons by enemy troops against civilians is a crime against humanity and a violation of all four 1949 Geneva Conventions.

Russia's war against Ukraine is not an armed conflict, not an absurd phrase "special operation", it is the genocide of the Ukrainian people with special cruelty!

I appeal to the international community to impose sanctions on Russia that are commensurate with the crimes of a terrorist state! The future of the whole civilized world is being decided now on Ukrainian soil! Ukraine needs your help!
https://www.facebook.com/denisovaombudsman/posts/493965098751434

Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine
9:28 CET
Mastercard and Visa blocked access to the payment system by Russian banks

Earlier the Ukrainian president asked Mastercard and Visa to block Russia's payment systems.

The cards issued by these banks stop working abroad and in foreign online stores.  They will work only in Russia. This should be provided by the National Payment Card System.
https://www.facebook.com/100064779754205/posts/323039876532002/?d=n

Kyiv City Administration

The night of March 1 in the capital and on the outskirts of the city passed quietly, there were several clashes between territorial defence fighters and saboteurs.

The first deputy chairman of the City Administration Nikolay Povoroznyk reported.

City services are currently equipping protective structures at the entrances to the capital. The city’s infrastructure is working, with light, heat and water. Hospitals work in an intensive mode and are provided with everything necessary.

The city authorities urge Kyiv residents not to leave their homes and not to move around the city unnecessarily.

Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine

There is a humanitarian tragedy in the cities of Ukraine after the Russian attacks.

Volnovakha, Sartana, Talakivka settlements are destroyed. For several days the State Emergency Service of Ukraine have been trying to organize a corridor to evacuate people who currently have neither electricity nor heating in their homes.
Ukraine is desperately trying to attract the Red Cross forces.

The situation is the same in Bucha, Kyiv region. The State Emergency Service is trying to help people there, but from time to time fighting resumes as this is one of the main areas of attack on Kyiv.


ECONOMY

Ministry for Digital Transformation of Ukraine

Vice-Prime-Minister - Minister for Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov reported that the first consignment of StarLink satellite Internet stations has arrived in Ukraine.
https://www.facebook.com/mintsyfra/posts/322742886561701

Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine

In 3 days since the launch of the IT army we have achieved a number of victories:
·     Laid down Russia's website “Gosuslugi”;
·     Took down the Moscow Stock Exchange, Sberbank and BestChange:
·     Downed the websites of the Federal Security Service, Roskomnadzor, the RF President, the RF Government, the State Duma, the Federation Council, and a number of others;
·     The website of the National Bank of Belarus went down, as did dozens of other strategic web resources;
·      Hacked Russia's largest media outlets: TASS, Kommersant and Fontanka;
·      Blocked the occupiers' website with propaganda merchandise
·      Disseminated the truth about the war in Ukraine on digital television in Russia.
https://www.facebook.com/100064779754205/posts/322725403230116/?d=n

State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine
Ukrainian operators have cut off communications to the occupiers by blocking access of telephones with Russian numbers to their networks.
https://www.facebook.com/dsszzi/posts/265097225801421

There are messages on the Internet that Russian occupation forces plan to cut off Ukrainian mobile communications and the Internet to replace it with a much higher signal, which will be connected to the phones of Ukrainian users. This is a disinformation as enemy troops can cut off communications only on occupied territories by disabling or destroying base stations. The State Special Communications Service stays in constant contact with operators and ensures that Ukrainians will have access to calls and Internet. Any damage to telecommunications networks is restored in the shortest period of time.
https://www.facebook.com/dsszzi/posts/265091599135317