By Serhiy Petrov
Today I am almost completely recovered and have returned to my senses. There, where I am sufficiently quiet, and there are no nerves of war, although in everyday life – absolutely everything is just as it is in the rest of the city.
Kharkiv has been fighting for ten days. An eternity seems to have passed. The city is holding on, overgrown with defensive bulwarks.
The Territorial Defense Force of the Kharkiv region is oversubscribed by 200% and this is only including those who have combat experience. There were a bunch of people who wanted to join, but were not taken.
Both Russian and Western analysts simply can not understand from the fragments of information they are getting about the real mood in the city. I will say that this was to be expected. Unexpectedly, is how quickly the swamp in general made more or less correct conclusions about the Russians.
The night began with air strikes. Russia bombed the neigborhoods of: Klochkivska (in Slobozhanska Street by the National Guard University in Kharkiv – unfortunately, 4 are dead and there are wounded servicemen), Kulinichi, Sortirovka (hit some abandoned building which belonged to thugs), Kulinichi, Rogan, and Zhalchivskoho around the city along the periphery to give the impression that the city is surrounded, although this is not the case: there are Russians in the north and a few are dug in west of the city. The Russians are not in other areas in Kharkiv!
In the afternoon, a Russian plane arrived again and bombed the sports complex of Karazin University “Unifecht” in the central part of Kharkiv. Windows were smashed in nearby residential buildings and business centers.
Today’s shelling was more intense than yesterday. Hot neighborhoods again: Saltivka, Northern Saltivka, Rohan, Horizon, New Houses and the village of Zhukovsky. According to the City Council, the restoration of heat in the village of Zhukovsky, in KHAI, in Pomirky, as well as in MZhK “Internationalist” (Krychevsky) will only be possible after the war. Communications there have been destroyed.
Today it was very hard for the residential neighborhoods of North Saltivka and Saltivka. Shells and debris fly into houses. The strikes are going farther into the residential district of Saltivka and are aimed at houses. In the “Czech” apartment building several floors burned because firefighters do not have time to put out all of the many fires and do not do it immediately due to shelling, and in sixteen-story buildings the Russian strikes knock out several floors of these apartment buildings. Such sixteen-story buildings are already being indiscriminately demolished. The number of damaged buildings is impressive. In fact, all of the residential district of Northern Saltivka, if the shelling continues at this rate, will be demolished… And this is 5-6 neighborhoods, presumably even more will be destroyed, if the intensity of destruction does not diminish…
Unfortunately, yesterday afternoon and this morning the shelling arrived at my apartment building. Several entrances to the upper floors burned to the ground. I do not have exact information about the condition of my apartment, but I have little hope that something will remain there… Sad, but expected. Now I have personal experience with the Russians. And I will do my best to get along with them. I will find ways and means. And ask our military (who reads me) to please double for me ten ruskies. Thank you very much!
In the evening, the Russians slept a little and we again had a little calm. After all, today Russians were being pushed back in the Kharkiv region near Sumy in the direction of the Ukrainian border. But the group, which was wandering from Vovchansk to Shevchenkovo, then to Balaklia, and then tried to go to Izium, decided to go in the direction of the Dnieper. Our people have been shepherding this group of Russians for a long time and taking it to the operating theater to fry them. In the end, today, it was said, they reduced this group to zero.
It is gratifying that in many cities and towns where Russian military units are located in the Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhia regions, people are rising up in peaceful opposition to the defense of Ukraine and are putting active pressure on Russia. It is obvious that the Russians cannot stand it and are already opening fire on civilians, as happened in Novopsk in the Luhansk region. More war crimes. Similarly, the ceasefire breach despite an agreement on humanitarian corridors is all about the incompetence of the Russians and the need for even greater sanctions and military assistance to Ukraine. It is a pity that people who are trying to escape from Mariupol and Volnovakha who want to live in a free world are being injured.
I would also like to note that the mayor of Kharkiv, Topchik Terekh, uses more and more Ukrainian language every day, although he still speaks exclusively Russian. He began with the rhetoric “We are from Kharkiv, a misery.” However, now he thanks the army, praises it, is proud of it, talks about Ukrainian Kharkiv, that the city will not be surrendered, that Kharkiv is Ukraine, etc.
Today, the Darwin Award is given to Russian aircraft in the South of Ukraine, which stubbornly climbed into our airspace and received airstrikes every time – in one day the fleet of Russian aircraft decreased by 9 units. Glory to our Air Force and Air Defense! First of all, it’s very impressive!
Thank you for another day spent by the Armed Forces, the National Security Service, the Defense Forces, doctors, volunteers, rescuers, public utilities, everyone who helps our military. We believe and help the army! We will win!
