Ukrainian tank hiding in the residential area in Kharkiv
The Russian Armed Forces have not yet achieved any decisive success on the Kharkiv front lines, and continue their offence.
The announced evacuation of civilians from Kharkiv was disrupted by Ukrainian forces. The UAF continue shelling on the ring road in the direction of the village of Saltovka, Dergachi. The heavy fire is conducted from residential areas with 120,152 mm artillery shells, MLRS. In this case, no evacuation is possible.
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According to some reports, on the night of March 7, a unit of Ukrainian nationalist forces shot at column of civilian buses with refugees, when they were leaving Kharkiv in the south-western direction towards the village of Merefa, through the corridor which was organized with the assistance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. About 30 civilians were reportedly killed, including 7 children.
Cars of those civilians who tried to leave Kharkiv along the humanitarian corridor to Belgorod were reportedly taken away for “the needs of territorial defense”, people were offered to walk to Russia by foot.
In the city, national battalions in Kharkiv and Sumy are shooting civilians, accusing them of links with Russia.
The AFU claimed a success, they managed to recapture the village of Chuguev to the south-east of Kharkiv … from the AFU themselves. The Russian military officials have not claimed the control over the village so far. The roads to the town are blockaded from the eastern and south-eastern directions. Missile and air strikes were previously carried out on the airfield and military facilities in the Chuguev area.
Russian units expanded the zone of control around the village of Balaclay.
On March 7, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that the SBU and the Azov militants are preparing a provocation with possible radioactive contamination of the area near Kharkov.
“Nationalists have mined a reactor at an experimental nuclear installation located at the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology. The SBU and the militants of the Azov battalion plan to blow up the reactor and accuse the Russian Armed Forces of allegedly launching a missile attack on an experimental nuclear installation,” the report reads.
At night, the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) destroyed the Malyshev tank factory in Kharkiv. The strikes came after the Russian military officials warned the AFU and local civilians that the strikes will be carried out on the Ukrainian military industrial facilities.
At least one Russian Su-34 was shot down over Kharkiv on March 6.
The RAF have significantly advanced in the town of Izyum. Fierce fighting continues in the town.
According to Ukrainian sources, Russian forces entered the town on March 7. The Ukrainian defense was breached, assault units of the Russian Armed Forces are now operating in Izyum, the left bank of the Seversky Donets was moped-up. The AFU remain in the southern part of the town.
The Russian control of the Izyum is of strategic importance, as it is another step towards the encirclement of the entire AFU grouping in the Donbas region. This advance is likely a part of the push aimed at isolation of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk from the western direction.
The city of Severodonetsk has not been stormed by the joint Russian and LPR forces so far. Fighting continues on the outskirts of Rubezhnoye.
The AFU deployed in Severodonetsk continue shelling on the civilians in the LPR. At least one Tochka-U missile was launched from the direction of Severodonetsk to Lugansk on March 7.
The joint forces are yet to cut off the Izyum – Slavyansk highway. The UAF grouping in the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk area were hit with artillery strikes. The strongholds of the UAF in these area have been strengthened for 8 years of war in Donbass, and the UAF grouping in the area is large.
The Russian VKS are shelling on enemy targets in the area of the town of Kramatorsk, where the headquarters of the Joint Forces Operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Donbass were located.
The RAF have advanced towards the village of Gulyai-Pole in the Zaporizhya region. The town was blocked from the eastern, south-eastern and south-norther directions. The joint forces are moving to the north and northeast of the town, steadily encircling the AFU grouping in the Donbas region.
The fire exchange continues near Mykolaiv which has not been blockaded yet. Sporadic clashes and shelling with the use of MLRS were reported on the outskirts of the city.
Any advance by Russian forces towards the South Ukrainian nuclear power plant in the Voznesensk area has not been reported so far.
On March 7, Chairman of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration Vitaliy Kim claimed that Russian forces were repelled from the airport in Mykolaiv. The claims are yet to be confirmed.
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Fighting continued to the west of the capital Kiev. The RAF are currently strengthening their forces in the Bucha area. The RAF did not enter the city of Brovary, clashes were reported in the outskirts. The town of Irpen remains under the UAF control.
At least 6 Russian Kalibr missiles were spotted over the village of Vasilkovo, heading towards Kiev.
