
Baltimore Council
on Foreign Affairs

Peculiarities of Russia’s open armed aggression against Ukraine
March 12, 2022 6PM Kyiv time
Russian occupation forces continue strategic offensive operation against our State.
Having operational pause, enemy is renewing combat capabilities and regrouping forces for further advance in Pollisskyi, Siverskiy, Slobozhanskyi, Donetsk, Tavriyskyi and Southern Bug operational zones.
Forces are replenishing their resources with missiles and ammunition as well as petroleum, oil and lubricants.
Russian armed forces land grouping’ activity is the most intensive in the areas of Mykolaiv and Mariupol and in the Joint Forces Operation area.
Operational environment
Enemy continues identification of targets in Ukrainian territory. That is done by aerial reconnaissance from territory of Belarus and border regions of Russia. Russian air force and artillery are striking and shelling positions of Ukrainian Armed Forces in Chernihiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Mariupol, Avdiivka, Volnovakha and outskirts of other key cities.
There is collection and repair base for damaged military equipment deployed on the territory of Belarus.
Pollisskyi operational zone
There are no severe enemy’s attacks in the area. Aggressor is renewing combat capabilities, regrouping and working out issues of logistic support.
Siverskiy operational zone
Russian military command is augmenting offensive forces grouping for assault of Kyiv. Enemy’s tank units are moving on the east of Kyiv from Bohdanivka towards Brovary and Trebukhiv.
Enemy concentrates forces for next attempt to seizure Sumy.
Logistic support (POL and ammunition delivery) is being provided from Tiotkino (Kursk region, Russia) to Sumy and Konotop as well as through western part of Chernihiv region.
Slobozhanskyi operational zone
Enemy is still trying to take control over Kharkiv, keeping it under air missile and artillery strikes on civilian objects. Russian troops are maneuvering on the north and south-east of the city to create favorable positions for assault.
Engineering units are spanning water crossings over Siverskyi Donets River. Donetsk operational zone
Units of 58th and 49th CAAs of Southern MD continue preparation for assault of Mariupol. Aggressor eliminates defense system and resistance of Mariupol’s defenders through massive and regular air-missile and artillery strikes.
1st and 2nd Army Corps and 150th MRDiv of 8th CAA of Southern MD are trying to take control over Volnovakha and Soledar.
Tavriyskyi operational zone
Enemy is relocating its troops and preparing to seize Zaporizhzhya. For this purpose units are concentrating near Pology, Orikhiv and Gulyai Pole (Zaporizhzhya region).
Southern Bug operational zone
Units of 49th CAA of Southern MD are focusing on capturing of important cities on the Ukrainian South such as Pavlograd, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Zaporizhzhya, Nikopol and Mykolaiv. Russian military command intensifies measures of comprehensive support from occupied Crimean peninsula through Antonov Bridge (Kherson).
Azov-Black Seas operational zone
There are no indicators of preparation to naval landing operation regarding seizure of southern seashore of Ukraine (Odesa).
Black Sea Fleet ships (6 pieces) are brought up to the higher combat readiness level, waiting for command to launch missile strikes on the objects in the Ukrainian territory.
Terrorist and unlawful occupation activity of Russian armed forces
The enemy continues to use terrorist methods to succeed in “special operation”. Russian troops continue the deliberate destruction of residential districts. The
occupants carry out targeted and systematic bombings on residential districts (Mykolaiv, Severodonetsk and Mariupol), landmark architectural buildings (hotel in Chernihiv), food storage warehouses (Kvitneve village, Kyiv Oblast), airfields (Vasylkiv village, Kropyvnytskyi).
Moreover, Russian military supreme command have released an order to speed up the process of establishment of control over Ukrainian settlements, including with total elimination of Ukrainian civil population, killing them regardless their race, age, sex and religion.
Today we observe new enemy tactics – exploitation of kamikaze UAVs with explosive load in urban area. In Kyiv a building of state bank was hit by drone with 1 kg of plastid and shrapnel.
Russia`s armed forces grossly violate international humanitarian law and the Rule of War. The enemy cynically shoots the medical vehicles of Ukrainian defenders, at the same time illegally using the symbols of the “Red Cross” on its own military equipment, capturing of Ukrainian activists, blocking of humanitarian staffs and corridors (Melitopol city).
In occupied territories enemy imposes strong counterintelligence regime. In Balakleya (Kharkiv Oblast) Russian militaries have prohibited to leave the city by personal transport – by foot only, for women only.