By Serhiy Petrov
The intensity of Muscovites’ firing on the city decreased sharply today. There was some shelling in the morning and in the evening but not too serious, lighter than yesterday. Still, Saltivka got hit the most. They also shelled Oleksiyivka, Obriy (Horizont), Rohan, Cold Mountain (where they destroyed some buildings of the city jail), and a suburb (Derhachi). As far as I know, our troops kicked some ass, too.
For the first time in 13 days, it’s quiet in the city. It feels weird. The pause allows for more active evacuation of those who have decided to leave the city and to bring in supplies for the military, medicine, food, and more. As city residents have noted, thanks to the lower intensity of shelling, deliveries of food and other necessities are gradually improving. Someone told me today that there’s no longer a shortage of bread, unlike in the last week and a half. The quiet also allows for repair of destroyed networks. Public utility workers are the hidden heroes of this war. Thanks to them, the city held through difficult days. It’s now gradually recovering—as much as the conditions of regular shelling allow.
Of course, stores are closed in North Saltivka, Saltivka, and other neighborhoods that have been completely destroyed and don’t have power. A gradual evacuation is underway from buildings without electricity, heating, or gas, and where windows are broken.
The amount of distribution sites for humanitarian aid is growing around the city. It’s not always possible to determine what the aid is, who is providing it, and where it’s coming from. At this point, however, Kharkiv’s residents don’t care about answering those questions.
The silence keeps some people on alert. On the one hand, it allows the Muscovites to replenish troops, equipment, and ammunition and to rest and regroup. But doesn’t it benefit our fighters? The pause is to our advantage, because it allows us to top up our reserves and resources, when, let’s face it, the enemy has substantially more personnel and equipment. It also gives our fighters a chance to rest, coordinate, and plan countermeasures against the Russians. Finally, our warriors aren’t only defending Kharkiv. As I’ve said many times, they’re defending the entire Kharkiv Agglomeration, which, as of mid-February, had a population of nearly 2 million.
Last night, Muscovites landed about 120 marines outside Kharkiv from several helicopters. Our fighters were already waiting for them. And make a dent in the landing they did. About 70 occupiers were reported dead. The others ran in the direction of Belgorod. Also near Kharkiv, a general was killed. Vitaly Gerasimov served in the Second Chechen War, Crimea, and Syria. Having generals on the front lines in maneuvering warfare shows incompetence of the highest degree. They’re functioning in the “everything is going badly” mode.
Another problem area is Izium. The city of 50,000, which found itself in a de facto blockade amid constant, relentless shelling, is literally being erased off the face of the Earth. Buildings are being horribly destroyed. They say the frontline runs through the city, along the Siverskyi Donets River. Muscovites control the northern part, while we control the southern part, which sits higher. The crossing there is always very bloody. The bridges are ruined. The Muscovites are now destroying the city in order to move on Slovyansk and somewhat encircle our troops in the Joint Forces Operation. Let’s hope our boys over there kick the desire to tear through Izium out of them.
Three women were injured in an airstrike on Balakliya today. A female citizen of the pig-dog nation (a reference to Russia; pig-dog, or “svynosobaka” is a Ukrainian pejorative) died in a shelling in Chuhuiv. She had been living in Ukraine since 2012 and had permanent resident status. This is RuSSkiy Mir (Russian World) coming for its own.
Speaking of Chuhuiv and his “liberation” yesterday. It used to belong to us, along with Bashkirivka. The Muscovites, as the story goes, were pushed out of town, to a more acceptable distance.
We found out before nightfall that the Donets settlement in the Slobozhanska village community had been bombed from airplanes. Buildings were destroyed and two people—including a child—were killed. Slobozhanske is where the Zmiiv TPP [Thermal Power Plant] is. The settlement is not far from the plant.
People are protesting in the Kharkiv, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia metros. In the Kharkiv metro, there was a protest against Muscovites in Kupyansk. The Muscovites decided not to mess with the protestors. The nonviolent resistance movement is gradually spreading to occupied territory. This is uplifting and inspiring.
The Opezdezhe Party (a reference to the Ukrainian Opposition Platform—For Life party using a pejorative) gets the Darwin Award. The party declared that it would defend Ukraine and recommended that its members join Territorial Defense. I’ll get popcorn to watch this (if I can get any). It’s so ridiculous that I can’t find any regular or cuss words. Fucking patriots. The war’s been going for 13 days, and they’ve only now decided to wake up!
Another day has passed. I thank the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, Territorial Defense, volunteers, medics, utility workers, and rescuers for it. Support and help our defenders. We believe in our military, we believe in ourselves, and we believe in Ukraine!
