As a component of the operation launched against Kiev during Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022
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The military situation in the Kyiv Oblast as of the middle of March 2022, mapped out.
Dates: February 27th through March 25th, 2022 (3 weeks and 5 days)
Makariv, Ukraine is the location.
The end result was a triumph for Ukraine.
The shelling of Makariv continues until the 31st of March, and 40% of the town is destroyed.
On April 1, the Russian military forces pulled out of the Makariv settlement hromada [uk].
Russia and Ukraine, the belligerents, and their respective commanders and leaders
Yuri Medvedev (WIA)[1]
Unidentified Units were a Part of the Russian Armed Forces.
[1] Ukrainian Armed Forces, 37th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade
[3] The 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade
[4] The 95th Air Assault Brigade (95th AAB)
Territorial Defense Forces[5]
Casualties and losses have occurred.
Extremely heavy; deaths amount to nearly half of the 37th Brigade [2].
Unknown number of civilians murdered, perhaps over 200[6].
2022: The beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
During the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the town of Makariv in Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine was host to a military conflict that came to be known as the battle of Makariv. The conflict raged from the 27th of February 2022 until the 25th of March 2022, which was the final day Makariv received reports of fighting. The town was continuously shelled until the 31st of March, and the Makariv village hromada was completely liberated on the following day, April 1st.
In the aftermath of the region's liberation, it came to light that the Russian occupying forces in the territory of the Makariv settlement hromada were responsible for the deaths of more than 200 innocent residents. This frequently featured instances of torture, the killing of old people, and the shooting of persons in the head while their hands were tied behind their backs.
Battle
On the 27th of February 2022, Ukrainian residents reported to the Ukrainian Armed Forces that a Russian column consisting of 15 tanks, 25 armored personnel carriers, and 15 Ural-4320 vehicles had traveled through Makariv. In addition to fuel and flamethrowers, missiles, self-propelled artillery, and other weapons, they were transported in three separate convoys. According to a report written by a journalist in Ukraine named Andriy Tsaplienko, they were heading in the direction of either Kyiv or Zhytomyr. [7] On Makariv, the fighting didn't commence until later that day. The town was the target of an attempt by Russian soldiers to gain access to Kyiv. According to Ukrinform, Russian military reportedly used women and children as human shields by transporting them on personal carriages. At least one of the Russian tanks was taken out of commission. A portion of the Russian column made its way onto the highway that runs between Kyiv and Zhytomyr. [8] A Russian convoy that was transporting military equipment was ambushed and destroyed by Ukrainian forces early on the morning of February 28th, near Makariv. [9] On March 2nd, the Ukrainian troops said that they had successfully retaken the entire city of Makariv. The 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade and the 95th Air Assault Brigade, both of which fortified their positions in Makariv after the city's capture, would have been responsible for carrying this out. [4]
After the intense battle that took place on March 8 in the region of Makariv, a commander from the Ukrainian side speculated that there was likely still a Russian column in the area that needed to be eliminated. They communicated that they were moving towards the position of a Ukrainian T-64BV tank crewed by senior sergeant Serhiy Vasich and his subordinates, senior soldier Vitaliy Parkhomuk [uk] and soldier Oleh Svynchuk, all of whom were members of the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade. It was discovered by Ukrainian explorers. When Vasich saw that the Russian soldiers were now within the tank's line of sight, he gave the order to fire at them, and one of the Russian tanks was hit in the process. As a result of many accurate rounds fired by the Ukrainians, the accompanying Russian vehicles came under fire, the Russian infantry was forced to disperse, and the Russian artillery was called in for backup. While Russian vehicles attempted to take down the tank, Russian soldiers hid themselves on the buildings throughout the town. After some time had passed, the Ukrainian tank made its way into the Russians' flank and immediately began firing high-explosive fragmentation shells. However, a guided anti-tank missile fired by the Russians detonated the munition while it was still within the tank, resulting in the deaths of Vasich, Parkhomuk, and Svynchuk. In the end, the crew was responsible for the destruction of six units of Russian military vehicles and contributed to the counteroffensive that the Ukrainians launched, which drove the Russians out of Makariv. After their deaths, each of the three of them was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. [3]
On March 9, it was reported that there were strong battles going on in the city, despite the fact that Ukraine was still in control of it.
[10] On March 15th, additional Russian assaults on Makariv were defeated by the defenders.
[11] The Ukrainian troops made the announcement on March 17 that the town of Makariv had been freed from the control of the Russian forces and that the Ukrainian flag was now flying in the middle of the town. In spite of this, Russian artillery continued to pound the town. Andriy Nebytov, the Chief of Police of Kyiv Oblast, visited Makariv on March 21 and reported that it was under regular enemy shelling, that there were no people on the streets, and that there was a significant degree of destruction. He also stated that there were no buildings left standing in the city. On March 22nd, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announced that Makariv had been completely liberated. The following day, however, Vadim Tokar, the mayor of Makariv, stated that "the [Ukrainian] military does not control all of Makariv, only partially," and that "it is 100 percent no-go for residents to return." He stated that as of the 23rd of March, the Russians controlled 15% of Makariv. [5]
Also on the 23rd of March, a Ukrainian journalist by the name of Roman Tsimbalyuk reported that colonel Yuri Medvedev, commander of the Russian 37th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, had been run over with a tank by his own troops as a direct result of the unit losing nearly half of its men during the battle at Makariv. It is not clear when the incident took place; however, Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of the Chechen Republic, announced on March 11 that Dmitry Medvedev had been admitted to the hospital. There were a number of claims in Western media outlets that said Medvedev had not survived the attack. [1][2]
Oleksandr Gruzevych, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Command of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated on the 25th of March during a briefing that Makariv was in a "gray zone," meaning that neither Russia nor Ukraine had full control over it. This was stated by Gruzevych.
[12] The authorities of the Kyiv Oblast claimed that on March 25 there was still heavy combat going on in Makariv.
[13] On the 28th of March, major general Mykola Zhyrnov made the announcement that Russian forces had been beaten at the combat in Irpin and that "Makariv also continues to be controlled by our Armed Forces." [Citation needed]
[14] On the same day, during a counteroffensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the village of Motyzhyn near Makariv was regained. Since February 27th, the village had been under constant Russian occupation. According to the reports, the Russian occupying forces were responsible for the deaths of Olga Sukhenko, the mayor of this hamlet, and her family. [15] The 31st of March saw no letup in the Russian bombardment of Makariv. [16] On April 1, the Russian military pulled all of its forces out of the Makariv village hromada, and by April 2, they were completely gone from the Kyiv Oblast where they had been stationed. [17]
Aftermath
As a direct result of the conflict, civilians in Makariv were subjected to attacks and suffered losses. Two elderly individuals in a car were captured on tape by a city security camera as they came to a stop after witnessing a Russian armored vehicle. It is likely that the two were attempting to exit the city. After then, another vehicle opened fire on the car, resulting in the deaths of both passengers. [18] On March 7, Russia carried out yet another attack on civilians by bombing a bread bakery when approximately 30 people were inside the building. This attack was carried out by warplanes. 13 citizens' bodies were recovered from the wreckage, and five other persons were pulled from the debris alive. [19] If Makariv had approximately 15,000 residents before the fight, then during the battle there were fewer than 1,000 people left. [20]
On April 8th, the mayor of the settlement, Tokar, stated that preliminary estimates indicated that the settlement had been destroyed by around forty percent, and that one hundred thirty-two citizens had been found shot to death by Russian executioners.
[21]
[22] The slaughter that took place at Makariv was very similar to the Bucha massacre, which took place in the nearby town of Bucha.
[23] By the end of June, it had been established that the actual number of civilians who had been killed in Makariv and in the villages that were a part of its hromada (municipality) was above 200. This included persons who were very old, those who had been shot in the head and had their wrists tied behind their backs, as well as bodies that showed evidence of torture. Tokar also discussed instances in which people had been relocated without their will to Belarus and Russia. [6]
On July 10th, the United States Ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget A. Brink, paid a visit to the city of Makariv. She stated that the "tales of individuals who suffered from the cruel Russian attacks on Makariv" had "deeply touched" her, and she expressed pride for the humanitarian supplies that the United States had delivered to the area in order to assist in its rehabilitation. [24]