War In Ukraine Day 8: Russian Forces Make More Gains In Southeast Amid Stalemate Near Kharkiv (Videos)

UKRAINE: On March 3, clashes between the Russian Armed Forces and the Ukrainian military was reported to the west of Kyiv. Russian forces are expanding the control zone west of the city forcing Ukrainian formations to retreat.

Fierce battles are taking place in the village of Bucha. The Russian Army took control of it in the morning of March 3, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) launched a counteroffensive. Serious clashes also occurred in the area of the village of Irpin.

No changes of the situation near Brovary was reported. According to experts, in this direction, the actions of the command of the Ukrainian army are the most skillful, since they have been able to contain the superior forces of the enemy for a long time. The Russian Armed Forces are pulling up additional forces to strengthen the offensive on Kyiv.

No significant changes of the situation took place near Kharkiv. Russian troops are on the northern outskirts of the city and bypass it from the southeast. They regularly deliver precise strikes on places of concentration of pro-Kiev forces inside and around the city. As of now, the headquarters of the so-called ‘territorial defense’ has been destroyed.

In response, the UAF used rocket launchers, at least some of which were deployed in residential areas. The ongoing fighting causes destructions to the city infrastructure.

An operation to completely clean up the city from pro-Kiev forces is expected in the near future.

For civilians, humanitarian passages are periodically created and a “silence regime” is organized. Members of nationalist battalions and the Ukrainian military are also expected to leave the blockade zone in the near future. Experts attribute this to the earlier arrival of Arsen Avakov in Kharkiv.

In Mariupol, clashes continue in the suburbs of the city. The Ukrainian army and nationalist battalions are resisting to the superior forces of the DPR and Russia. Negotiations are underway to organize humanitarian corridors for the withdrawal of civilians. Due to the demoralized state of the Mariupol grouping of the UAF, negotiations from time to time do not achieve their goals. The operation to fully clean up the city from the remaining pro-Kiev detachments are yet to be launched.

In Vonovakha, the Russian military and forces of people’s republics have been developing their operation to eliminate the grouping of the UAF deployed there. Kiev forces suffered significant losses in manpower and equipment. Nonetheless, they open fire answering to proposals to surrender.

DPR forces are nearing the town of Severodonetsk from the northern direction. Positions of the UAF remain the same. They employ defensive fire at the advancing enemy. There is no assault on the city by the forces of the DPR yet.

In the Slavayansk-Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces are advancing towards Krasny Liman from the northeast. Balakleya is under the control of the DPR. DPR plans to reach the settlement of Izyum. At the moment, there are battles and airstrikes in the area. The main aviation targets are the remaining facilities occupied by the Ukrainian military and territorial defense fighters. By taking Izyum under the control, the DPR creates the possibility of encirclement of the military positions of the UAF.

Clashes near Krasnoarmeysk:

In the Donetsk-Horlivka direction, the UAF still holds positions near Horlivka. Kiev forces carry out regular artillery strikes on Donetsk. According to DPR authorities, civilian objects are the main targets of the strikes.

In the Odessa-Nikolaev direction, Nikolaev is partially blocked. The operation is being prepared to take the city under the control of the Russian Armed Forces. Eyewitnesses report the concentration of units of the AFU and territorial defense in the southern outskirts. As of now, no clashes are ongoing there.

The main fighting is taking place near the town of Voznesensk. In order to hinder the attack on Kyiv from the south, the UAF blew up two crossings across the Yujniy Bug River. The operation of the Russian Army to take control of Odessa has not been launched as well as amphibious assaults (reported several times by media). According to experts, the main military operation to capture Odessa is planned after taking control of Nikolaev. At the moment, airstrikes of the Russian armed forces are being carried out in the southwestern outskirts. The targets are military warehouses.

In Kherson, Russian troops are gradually establishing the full control over the region. Eyewitnesses report that more and more people appear on the streets of the city. The delivery of humanitarian aid has begun. However, the situation is still very difficult. The supply of water to the North Crimean Canal to the regions of the Crimean peninsula was organized.

Russian forces blocked the city of Chernihov. The fighting erupted to the north of the city. However, no direct assault of the city was launched.

The Russian military started establishing control of Energodar town. The checkpoint at the entrance was quickly disarmed. Now Russian units are working to eliminate military positions of the UAF in the city. Ukrainian troops are retreating to the north of Zaporozhye Region, where the Russian Armed Forces are also advancing.

More and more cases of looting and killing of civilians by Ukrainian ‘territorial defense’ fighters are being reported. In Vasilkov, on the territory of the school, there was a skirmish between two detachments, during which 14 people were killed. The presence of children in the school at that time cannot be reliably determined.

Amid the aforementioned events, a MiG-21 Lancer of the Romanian Air Force crashed in Constanta County. The Ministry of Defense of Romania confirmed the fact of the crash. The fighter disappeared from radar 13 minutes after taking off from the Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase. The aircraft was on patrol over Dobruja.

Later, local residents reported that they heard an explosion and then noticed intense flames on the ground.

Moreover, the IAR 303 Puma helicopter, sent to search for the missing aircraft, lost radio contact with the control tower and also disappeared from the radar. The pilot reported adverse weather conditions and was ordered to return to base. There were 5 people on board the helicopter, Romanian media reported.

As to the second round of the Ukrainian-Russian negotiations that took place in Belarus, the sides achieved no breakthrough. However, they agreed on the following:

• Ukraine and the Russian Federation reached an understanding on the joint provision of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of citizens, the delivery of food and medicine
• Russia and Ukraine will soon create channels of communication and interaction for the organization of humanitarian corridors
• The Ukrainian delegation declared that it did not get the results they expected, and will continue the dialogue in the third round of negotiations
• The third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine, according to preliminary data, will be held early next week in Belarus.