RUK042 – March 8, 2022

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: July 18, 2025

(Previous Incident Code: RUK0058)

On March 8th 2022, an explosion in the centre of Balakleia reportedly killed one civilian and injured three other civilians, as a result of alleged Russian warplanes. According to a local source on Twitter, “two planes flew over and dropped three bombs.”

Telegram posts by Kharkov Nash, which has expressed sympathies for Russia, speculated as to who was responsible for shelling of Balakleia without directly accusing either Russia or Ukraine, but did note that Russian troops were occupying the city.

Key Information

Country

Ukraine

Military Actor

Russian Military

Strike Type

Airstrike

Strike Status

Likely strike

Civilian Harm Reported

Yes

Civilian Harm Status

Weak

Causes of Death / Injury

Heavy weapons and explosive munitions

Civilians reported killed

Civilians reported injured

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention strikes in the centre of the city of Balakleya (Балаклея). Analysing audio-visual material from sources, we have narrowed the location down to the following exact coordinates: 49.453133, 36.839204.

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