Day 812: Ukrainian troops partially push Russian forces out of Vovchansk, Ukraine’s General Staff says

Ukrainian troops partially push Russian forces out of Vovchansk, Ukraine’s General Staff says. Russia launches missile and air strikes on Dnipro, Mykolayiv and Kherson, causing casualties. Blinken, in Kyiv, announces two billion dollars in additional aid for Ukraine.

Ukrainian troops partially push Russian forces out of Vovchansk, Ukraine’s General Staff says

Ukrainian troops have partially pushed the enemy forces out of Vovchansk. Ukraine is on the defensive on the northern and north-western outskirts of the city, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a situation update released at 2p.m. on Wednesday.    

There were three combat engagements along the line of attack in the direction of Kharkiv, the General Staff said. Russian forces try to advance toward Lyptsi. Two air strikes hit Lyptsi and Mala Danylivka.   

Ukrainian troops have repelled a Russian offensive near Vovchansk and partially pushed the enemy forces out of the town, the report reads. Defensive operations continue on the north and northwestern outskirts. The enemy’s casualty numbers are being collected.

Russian forces did not conduct offensive operations in the Kharkiv direction on Wednesday, the General Staff said in a situation update released at 11:30 a.m. They were trying to consolidate their new positions and regroup, it said. 

Russia launches missile, air strikes on Dnipro, Mykolayiv, Kherson, causing casualties

A Russian missile strike on Dnipro on Wednesday killed two people and injured one other. A critical infrastructure site was damaged, head of the regional military administration, Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram. 

Ukraine’s Air Command East said it had destroyed a Kh-59/69 guided missile in the skies near Dnipro at around 1:30 p.m. local time. 

Six people were injured in Mykolayiv as Russia launched a missile strike on the southern city on Wednesday.

Russia dropped three glide bombs on the central part of Kherson, injuring 19. An artillery strike launched from the occupied left (east) bank of the Dnipro on Wednesday morning damaged an apartment building in the Korabelnyi district, head of the Kherson city military administration, Roman Mrochko said on Telegram.

Blinken, in Kyiv, announces two billion dollars in military aid for Ukraine 

The U.S. will provide USD two billion in aid to Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday during a press conference in Kyiv with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

“We will provide an additional USD two billion in Foreign Military Financing for Ukraine, and we put this together in a first-of-its-kind defense enterprise fund, and it has three components,” Blinken said.  

The financing will be used not only for purchasing weapons from the U.S., but also by Ukraine as it invests in manufacturing its own machinery and weapons, he added.

Blinken arrived in Kyiv on a surprise trip on Tuesday. He met with President Zelenskyi. The Ukrainian President emphasized that the country needs a fresh supply of weapons and ammunition. He asked Blinken for two more Patriot air defense systems to protect Kharkiv. 

Russian Forces Transform Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant into Military Base. Ukraine in Flames #611

March 4, 2024 marked two years since Russian troops occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Due to the actions of the Russian occupation administration, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Zaporizhzhia NPP has experienced eight complete and one partial blackouts. During the two years of Russian occupation, the safety systems of the Zaporizhzhia NPP were degraded to such an extent that it can be dangerous even when it is not working. Watch Ukraine in flames #611 to find out more about Russia’s constant nuclear threats, what to anticipate next at Zaporizhzhia NPP and how the world entered the new phase of the nuclear arms race. 

Guests:

  • Valeriy Chaly, Chairman of the UCMC Board, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine
  • Yuriy Kostenko, Minister of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety of Ukraine (1995-1998), Member of the Commission on Nuclear Policy and Environmental Safety under the President of Ukraine (1997-2000)
  • Olha Kosharna, Nuclear Power Expert