Russia’s harsh response to the Ukrainian attack on Belgorod and the oil facilities in recent days. In just two days Moscow managed to carry out two “surprise” attacks using the false target technique. A very meticulous job that caused significant damage to many regions of Ukraine. Kharkov is without electricity, the internet is unusable in many Ukrainian regions, trains are delayed; Metro in Kiev stops in some places.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “We are at war. Yes, it started as a special military operation, but as soon as this group was formed there, when the collective West took part in this operation alongside Ukraine, it has already become a war for us.” Legally, for Moscow, this is a Northern military district, since no one has officially declared war on anyone, but in reality this is precisely a war and Russia has been at war since 2022, even if someone does not understand this.
In the usual morning summary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation, the attack against Ukraine is explained: “Today (yesterday ed.) the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a massive attack with weapons long-range high-precision air, sea, land and unmanned aerial vehicles against energy facilities, the military-industrial complex, railway nodes, arsenals, places of deployment of the Ukrainian armed forces and foreign mercenaries”.
And again: “Following the attack, the functioning of industrial enterprises that produce and repair weapons, military equipment and ammunition was disorganized. Furthermore, foreign military equipment and weapons delivered to Ukraine by NATO countries were destroyed, the transfer of enemy reserves to the front line was stopped, and units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and mercenaries were damaged in the areas where it was being restored combat capability. All the objectives of the mass attack were achieved.”
And again the note reads: “From 16 to 22 March, in response to the bombing of our territory, the attempts to break through and capture Russian border settlements, the armed forces carried out 49 retaliatory attacks with air-launched weapons at long range high precision, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, missile systems and unmanned aerial vehicles”.
“As a result of the attacks, decision-making centers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, airport infrastructure, workshops for repairing weapons and military equipment, storage depots for UAVs and unmanned boats, logistics bases, as well as deployment points temporary special operations forces and foreign mercenaries were hit.”
Among the targets hit: the Dniepr Hydroelectric Power Plant, Thermal Power Plant-3 and the Zymivnyk TPP State District Power Plant were damaged in the Kherson region, the Ladyzhynsʹka Tes State District power plant in the Vinnytsia region.
Local authorities confirmed attacks on critical infrastructure in the Khmel’nyts’kyi regions, Khmel’nyts’kyi in the same region in the Starokostyantyniv air base, at least three Kinzhal missiles hit underground warehouses of Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles – sources said Russian social networks, we cannot verify the source; affected Lviv, Vinnytsia, Kryvyj Rih and Dnipropetrovs’k. There are reports of power, water, cell phone and internet outages.
The authorities of the Kherson region speak of 15 arrivals at military infrastructure facilities, problems with communications and lighting. Attacks were also reported in controlled parts of Ivano-Frankivs’k, Zhytomyr, Kiev and Zaporizhizhie.
The damage is being verified. It is also noted that Russia has begun mass production of FAB-3000 aerial bombs with the UMPC system, Shoigu said during an inspection of defense industry enterprises in the Nizhny Novgorod region. While again from the voice of the Russian Defense Minister we learn that the production of the FAB-1500 and FAB-500 aerial bombs has doubled.
The Ukrainians talked about 150 missiles but in reality they probably also counted the false targets. Volodymyr Zelenskyj said: “More than 60 “Geran” and about 90 missiles of various types were launched during the night, their targets were power plants and energy supply lines, a hydroelectric dam.” We recall that the United States of America advised Zelenskyj against attacking Russian oil facilities in recent days.
NATO on March 22 said that the Russian attacks on March 21 “succeeded in achieving a strategic surprise due to yesterday’s “fake” attack on Kiev, only 37 missiles out of 88 were officially intercepted.” Unlike the attacks planned by Ukraine in the last three weeks aimed at trying to distract Russian troops from the front line, the Russians monitored the locations and thanks also to the usual reporting of the “waiters”, the use of satellites, information OSINT online, and they organized two missile attacks that were also very important from an economic point of view. All this without slowing down the offensive underway since Bachmut took over.
And now a look at the front line updated at 2.30pm on March 22nd.
In Kherson: critical infrastructures hit. The city is almost completely without light. The extent of damage to the energy system in Kherson is greater than in other regions, said the head of the NPC Ukrenergo, Vladimir Kudrytsky. According to him, the morning attack on Ukraine’s energy system was the largest of all time, characterized by the use of combined arms. Among the attacks, the DniproHES Ukraine dam was hit. The dam is still functioning but the attacks hit, according to the Ukrainian social sphere “the gantry crane on top of the dam and part of the infrastructure of fundamental importance for controlling the locks were destroyed at the Dniprovskaya hydroelectric power station. The Ukrainian side has no ability to control the flow of water through the dam.”
There were 12 missile attacks carried out on Zaporizhizhie: 7 civilian houses were destroyed, 35 damaged. There are injured. Ukridroenergo officially confirmed the attack on the DneproHPP in Zaporižžja. A fire has started in the station; Rescuers and energy technicians are working on site to eliminate the consequences of the attack. A critical infrastructure facility in the Vinnytsia region, Kryvyj Rih and the Carpathian region was hit. One post reads: “Dozens of energy system plants have been damaged in Ukraine, – Ukrenergo.
Emergency closures confirmed in seven regions: in the Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kirovograd, Odessa, Poltava, Sumy and Kharkiv regions.” Following attacks on the energy system of the Odessa region, power outages began in Odessa.
Donetsk direction. Advancement of the Russian Armed Forces in the direction of Bachmut and further to Alabasterovaya between Klishchiivka and Andriivka. Ukrainian social sources confirm the loss of some positions and the deterioration of the situation on the line covering Časiv Jar.
After the capture of Tonen’ke, the Russian armed forces continued their offensive and expanded the control zone around the village. In the near future there will be an intensification of battles for the liberation of Berdychi and the beginning of direct battles for Semenivka.
In the Kherson direction, attempts to evacuate wounded Ukrainian soldiers from Krynky failed, boats of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were destroyed. In the area of \u200b\u200bthe “cottages” near the Antonovsky Bridge, where the presence of small groups of enemy infantry is preserved, attacks were carried out.
West of Marinka in Heorhiivka and north of Novomykhailivka, Russian troops are gradually advancing ongoing battles.
Zaporizhizhie direction: “Russian paratroopers – operators of FPV drones in the direction of Zaporizhizhie hit an observation post and infantry of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” source Russian Defense Ministry. According to data from the social sphere, the Russian armed forces have completed the liberation of the village of Myrne in the direction of Huljajpole (southwest of Huljajpole). Previously, the Russian Armed Forces tried to advance southeast of Huljajpole. Fighting is ongoing in the Rabotinye-Verbove area. There are mutual artillery strikes, the use of FPV drones.
According to Russian military accounts: “Assault units of the 35th Army of the “Vostok” group eliminated units of the 203rd battalion of the 108th TerDorona brigade from the village of Myrne, Zaporizhizhie region. During the fighting, Ukrainian troops lost more than 15 servicemen, a small part managed to escape. Attempts by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to bring reserves into battle were thwarted, vehicles and soldiers destroyed. Unlike the false occupations of the Ukrainian armed forces, the inhabitants of the Far East demonstrate their courage and professionalism with facts.”
Graziella Giangiulio
