On March 22, the Ukrainian army said it pushed the Russian troops out of a strategically vital suburb in Kyiv called Makariv after a fierce battle. This may be a small victory for Ukraine, but it prevents the Russian army from encircling the capital from the northwest.
Black smoke rose from the northern part of the city as explosions and gunfire shook the capital. As they intensified artillery fire, Russia sought to encircle and seize multiple suburban areas of Kyiv. According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Ukrainian troops managed to force the Russian army out of Kyiv.
The recaptured territory allowed Ukraine to regain control of a crucial highway and block Russian troops from surrounding the capital. Regardless, the Russian forces were able to take control of other suburbs in northwest Kyiv, including Bucha, Irpin, and Hostomel, some of which have been under attack ever since the Russian invasion first began.
As Russia faces resistance from Ukraine, its approach has become even more aggressive. Putin’s forces are increasingly using their air power and artillery on Ukrainian cities and their residents. As per the data provided by the United Nations, the war has driven approximately 3.5 million people from Ukraine, and nearly 6.5 million have been displaced inside the nation.
There have been over 900 confirmed deaths due to the war, and it is estimated that the actual death toll is much higher. Although the records for Russian casualties vary, all of the figures are in the low thousands.
Ukrainian officials in Kyiv say that their focus is on keeping the Russian artillery out of range of the capital’s centre. Still, there seems to be no end to the shelling that causes casualties and destroys homes.
Even as the city celebrates what the residents call a “recapture of a town,” the mayor of a neighbouring city advised residents to leave the capital.
“There is no urgent need to be in the city at the moment. Fighting is already raging in the region. I appeal to the population: be smart and leave the city if you can,”
said the mayor of Boryspil, Volodymyr Borysenko. American and British officials say that Russia’s primary objective is the siege of Kyiv.
Although the bulk of Russian forces is far from the city centre, missiles and artillery have been continuously disrupting the lives of people in the city. Apartment buildings and a large shopping mall were reduced to rubble after being hit by strikes that killed eight people on Sunday.
Russian forces did not stop their siege of the southern port city of Mariupol even as the city’s defenders refused their demands to surrender. Civilians are fleeing the city, which they say has been facing relentless bombardment as corpses pile up in the streets.
Despite this, the Kremlin’s offensive on the ground in other parts of Ukraine has not been as successful. Russian forces are advancing slowly, allowing Ukrainian troops to knock them back with lethal hit-and-run attacks.
On February 24, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine. However, more than three weeks into the invasion, its forces have been unsuccessful in building on the initial progress they made across the country.
The failure of Russian troops can be attributed to how President Putin undermined the Ukrainian forces, forcing the Russian army to change its strategy.
Published by – Kiruthiga K
Edited by – Kritika Kashyap
