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On March 9, the situation on main front lines Ukrainian remained fairly stable.
The main changes took place in the Donbass region, where the joined Russian, LPR and DPR forces continue to encircle the AFU grouping in Eastern Ukraine.
The grouping of troops of Lugansk People’s Republic took control over the villages of Zatishnoye, Peschanka, and Surovtsevka.
Another advance of the DPR troops was reported in the region of the village of Volnovakha. The complete liberation of Volnovakha from the AFU has not yet been reported, but the large part of the town is controlled by the DPR PM. Fighting continues in the area of the city of Severodonetsk, and south of the city near the village of Popasnaya. However, no significant advances of the DPR and LPR forces were reported.
According to unconfirmed reports, the LPR soldiers managed to take Olginka, but the Ukrainian forces will continue to actively restrain the enemy in the area in order to prevent the DPR from reaching the village of Bakhmut and cut off the road to the city of Severodonetsk.
Another attempt to organize a full-fledged humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of civilians from the blockaded city of Mariupol failed. The mopping-up continues on the streets of the city, where the joint forces of Russia and the DPR entered on March 8. Unlike yesterday’s advance deep into the city, there were no breakthroughs today.
The DPR PM managed to gain a foothold in the Vostochny district on the left bank of the city.
The success of the DPR military was the destruction of the base of the Azov national battalion in the left bank region of Mariupol. About 30 vehicles, 5 armored vehicles, an ammunition and fuel depots were reportedly destroyed. The number of casualties among the Ukrainian nationalists was not revealed.
On March 9, the shelling hit a children’s hospital and maternity hospital in the city of Mariupol, what was immediately treated as a “horrific act of inhumanity by Russia”, and became another reason for Zelensky to record a video appeal with demands for help to his European colleagues.
However, the daily provocations of the Ukrainian side, which gain headlines in the MSM, are often refuted before Zelensky highlights them in his daily video appeals. Thus, in the case of the incident in Mariupol, the direction of the shelling, the number of civilian casualties, the photos and videos that era widely distributed, even after any superficial analysis, raise doubts about the statements of the Ukrainian president. The fact that the maternity hospital was previously occupied by Ukrainian nationalist militants is also kept silent in the media.
There were no significant advances of Russian troops near the capital of Ukraine. After the recent advance to the east of Kiev, the Russian grouping continues to strengthen its positions around the city. Fighting continues in the areas of Brovary and Boryspil in the east and in the area of Fastov in the southwest. The town of Irpen remains under the AFU control.
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In the North-East of the country, the situation remains unchanged. Trench clashes continue on the outskirts of Kharkiv. After street fighting in the Severnaya Saltovka area, it remained under the control of the AFU.
Amid the absence of active offensive actions by Russian forces in the city of Kharkiv, the AFU does not waste time and transfers new weapons and military personnel, including foreign fighters to the city.
In the evening, the governor of Kharkiv announced the capture of the village of Dergachi by Ukrainian forces, which were already under the control of the AFU. The same victory was recently gained by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the village of Chuguev, where Russian troops did not enter.
On March 9, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported on the upcoming provocation near Kharkiv, aimed at accusing Russia of using chemical weapons.
“On the night of March 9, Ukrainian nationalists brought about 80 tons of ammonia to Zolochiv north-west of Kharkiv. According to the residents who left Zolochiv, the nationalists teach them how to act during a chemical attack. This indicates that Ukrainian nationalists are preparing a provocation using toxic substances to accuse Russia of allegedly using chemical weapons,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.
In the south of the country, the situation remains fairly stable. In the Zaporizhya direction, the UAF are holding the defense along the Kamenskoye-Orekhov-Gulyai-Pole-Velikaya Novoselka front line.
Mykolaiv is preparing for the siege of the city; Odessa is waiting for the landing of the Russian assault forces.
Russian forces continue to strengthen control over settlements in the regions that have come under their control. On March 9, the Russian military entered the city of Skadovsk in the south of the Kherson region without a fight and established control over the administration and the local police department.
