Russian Military in Ukraine

Russian Military in Ukraine

A member of the Ukrainian Emergency Service looks at the City Hall building in the central square following shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on March 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Pavel Dorogoy)

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Incident Code

RUK064

Incident date

March 17, 2022

Location

Золочів, Zolochiv, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Geolocation

50.273048, 35.977971 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Alleged Russian shelling attacks on the village of Zolochiv in Kharkiv killed a woman and wounded two others, including a child, on March 17, 2022.

The village of Zolochiv endured heavy shelling, allegedly from Russian forces on March 17th. In the midst of the bombing, a 44 year old mother covered her four year daughter. While the daughter was wounded, her mother was killed. The girl’s father was also wounded. Twitter users @KHARKIV_RULIT, @EmineDzheppar, and @f_o_r_Ukraine provided images of the wounded girl and her home post-shelling.

A more detailed account was posted by the Kharkiv Times at Times.kharkiv.ua. The report included a description of the strike provided by Viktor Kovalenko to Suspilne Media: “The shell came when she and her child were sleeping in the house by the window. The woman covered her 4-year-old daughter with her body, but she herself did not survive. The child has a leg injury. There was also a man there – he also had an injury. The doctors rendered assistance to the injured in the hospital – they pulled out the fragments, made bandages. Their house is partially destroyed.”

Kovalenko was described as “the head of the community” in the report.  Kovalenko also noted that the alleged Russian artillery began shelling the village around 2 am and continued until roughly 4 am. There were about 15 explosions in total. Seven private houses, electricity and gas networks were damaged.

In a story posted by Objectiv.tv, the forty-four year old mother shielded her daughter from death and lost her life in the process. The article went on to say that, “a pre-trial investigation has been launched into violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder (part 2 of article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).” This description of an impending investigation was corroborated by a Facebook post from Prokuratura Kharkiv.

This assessment has reference to ACLED code UKR53712.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Gas facility, Power Station
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Zolochiv on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by @EmineDzheppar)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Zolochiv on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by @EmineDzheppar)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Zolochiv on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by @EmineDzheppar)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Zolochiv on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Objectiv TV)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Zolochiv on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Objectiv TV)
  • Screenshot of post by GX on Facebook
  • Screenshot of Facebook post by Prokuratura Kharkiv

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Zolochiv (Золочів), for which the generic coordinates are: 50.273048, 35.977971. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Gas facility, Power Station
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RUK065

Incident date

March 17, 2022

Location

Мерефа, Merefa, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Geolocation

49.809894, 36.056189 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On March 17th, alleged Russian bombardment struck the village of Merefa, wounding up to 26 people and killing up to 23 others. Sources were conflicted as to whether those killed were members of the Ukrainian military or civilians.

Susplilne Media described a Russian “artillery” attack upon Merefa. Twitter user @tincazzi posted pictures of the remains of an alleged Russian missile, asking for followers to help identify what the user believed was a “long range cruise missile”. Telegram user Kharkiv_1654 posted that a “Russian rocket blew up a school today in the city of Merefa.” The initial report from Suspline described the scene in Merefa, at 3:30 a.m., saying that Russian shelling destroyed a school and a cultural center, and damaged nearby houses. Suspline went on to quote Veniamin Sitov, head of the Merefyansk community: “We got to the center of the cultural center, nothing was left of it. There were people in it. Of the civilians, thank God, there are no victims, there are some of the military. The civilians managed to escape the destruction, the military was sent to the hospital,” said Sitov.

According to the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, 21 people died, 25 were injured, 10 of them were in serious condition. This report was later released and supported by Censor.Net News, Slk.kh.ua, Slovoidilo.ua, and Zaxid News. Zaxid was the first to list the number of wounded as twenty-six. In addition to the detail about the destruction, these reports, as well as Facebook posts from Prokuratura Kharkiv, also noted that investigators of the State Security Service of Ukraine in the Kharkiv Region launched a pre-trial investigation into the fact of violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with intentional murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

RBC-Ukraine News reported that, “in the Kharkiv region, the consequences of enemy attacks on Merefa continue to be eliminated. The number of dead and injured continues to grow.” Sq.com.ua and and Newsroom.kh.ua later noted an increase in casualties, both elevating the number of wounded to twenty-six and the dead to twenty-three.

A Telegram message by user Perviy Kharkovskyi, identified as a Telegram channel with a clear pro-Russian stance, reiterated that a Russian “Kalibr” missile caused the casualties but referred to those killed and injured as soldiers, and went on to question why soldiers were in a school and the cultural center, “civilian objects.”

This assessment has reference to ACLED code UKR53681 and Bellingcat code CIV0410.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 26
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–23
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–26
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–23

Sources (38) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (46) [ collapse]

  • Remains of what was allegedly identified as a Russian missile that struck the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by @tincazzi)
  • Remains of what was allegedly identified as a Russian missile that struck the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by @tincazzi)
  • Remains of what was allegedly identified as a Russian missile that struck the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by @tincazzi)
  • Destruction caused by an alleged Russian missile that struck the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by @tincazzi)
  • Merefa, Kharkiv region, bombed the 6th school
  • Type of Russian missile that allegedly struck the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Kharkiv_1654 via Telegram)
  • Remains of what was allegedly identified as a Russian missile that struck the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Kharkiv_1654 via Telegram)
  • Remains of what was allegedly identified as a Russian missile that struck the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Kharkiv_1654 via Telegram)
  • Remains of what was allegedly identified as a Russian missile that struck the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Kharkiv_1654 via Telegram)
  • Emergency services respond to alleged Russian shelling of the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by 2day.kh.ua)
  • Emergency services respond to alleged Russian shelling of the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by 2day.kh.ua)
  • Emergency services respond to alleged Russian shelling of the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by DSNS via Telegram)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Censor)
  • Screenshot of Facebook post by Prokuratura Kharkiv
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Prokuratura Kharkiv)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Truexa News via Telegram)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Truexa News via Telegram)
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Truexa News via Telegram)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Consequences of alleged Russian shelling of the center of Merefa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by RBC-Ukraine and taken by Getty)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Merafa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Parlament.ua)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Merafa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Parlament.ua)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Merafa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Parlament.ua)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Merafa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Parlament.ua)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of the village of Merafa on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Parlament.ua)
  • Near Kharkov, they attacked the city of Merefa. A fire is raging there.
  • 21 people died, 25 were injured as a result of the night shelling of the city of Merefa near Kharkiv - the regional prosecutor's office. As a result of enemy shelling, the school and cultural center were destroyed.
  • Merefa School again. House of culture. Victims

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Merefa (Мерефа), for which the generic coordinates are: 49.809894, 36.056189. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 26
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–23
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–26
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–23

Sources (38) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RUK063

Incident date

March 17, 2022

Location

Козача Лопань, Kozacha Lopan, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Geolocation

50.336013, 36.193996 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Additional Geolocations

50.334438, 36.190772 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and six civilians, including an elderly woman, were killed and at least two others, including a child, were wounded by alleged Russian or Ukrainian shelling of Kozacha Lopan in Kharkiv on March 17, 2022.

The head of the Dergachev community Vyacheslav Zadorenko announced on Facebook that Russian forces used cluster bombs and “as a result, at least six people were killed, data on the number of injured are being investigated. The invaders bombed the railway station, shops, pharmacies and other civilian buildings in the center of the village. At the same time, the military infrastructure that the invaders placed in Kazachya, as well as the Russian military, were not damaged.” Various local sources quoted Zadorenko and provided similar information.

Russian sources including Russian state-run RIA Novosti attributed the bombing to Ukrainian forces, accusing Ukraine of bombing “civilian objects, including at the point of issue of humanitarian aid,” resulting in the death of four civilians and the injury of at least two others. Quoting a “representative of the local provisional administration,” the Russian source reported that the shelling occurred around noon and involved 52 mm artillery guns. Discussing the victims, a local resident told RIA that a teenage girl was wounded when she was “returning home with their grandmother with food products. The grandmother was killed on the spot, the girl’s leg was torn off.”

This assessment corresponds to ACLED code UKR53666.

The incident occured at approximately 12:00 pm local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Ukrainian Military

Sources (29) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (12) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by alleged Russian bombing of Kozacha Lopan on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Slovoidilo)
  • Screenshot of Facebook post by Zadorenko
  • Damage from an alleged Russian cluster bomb on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by @TRTRussian)
  • Screenshot of Facebook post by Tatyana Radchuk
  • The armed forces of Ukraine from heavy guns fired at the border village of Kazachya Lopan, Kharkiv region. They beat exclusively on civilian objects, including at the point of issue of humanitarian aid. At that moment, another batch of food and basic necessities was distributed to people. As a result, four civilians were killed and several others were injured.
  • In the LNR reported 4 dead after the shelling of the village in the Kharkiv region by the Armed Forces of Ukraine As reported in the Luhansk People's Republic, in the Kharkiv region, Ukrainian soldiers fired on the village of Cossack Lopan from heavy guns. According to preliminary information, the shelling lasted about half an hour, and in total about forty shells were fired from the MSTA. As a result of the shelling, four people were killed, and more than two were injured. “The first shells fell around noon, it was at this time that almost the entire village (and this is at least a thousand people) received Russian humanitarian aid. Also, blows were delivered to the area of the village council and the local school. There were also people there and received humanitarian aid,” the LPR noted. The victims were evacuated to the Russian Federation for medical assistance. Among the wounded civilians was a 12-year-old girl, she was caught on the street with her grandmother when they were returning to their home with food products. An elderly woman died on the spot, and the girl was seriously injured, the LPR reported. Some residents managed to leave their homes when everything calmed down. They traveled on foot to the Russian border to take cover from shelling.
  • Damage caused by shelling of Cossack Lopan on March 17, 2022. (Image posted by Rossaprimavera.ru)
  • Ukrainian security forces shelled the recently liberated village of Kozachya Lopan in Kharkiv region. According to the RIA Novosti news agency, the first shells fell around noon. It was at this time that at least a thousand people gathered in the square to receive Russian humanitarian aid. According to preliminary information, four people were killed and at least two wounded. The victims, including a 12-year-old girl, were evacuated to Russia.
  • Kozachya Lopan was shelled with heavy weapons during the distribution of humanitarian aid Ukrainian militants shelled the village of Kozachya Lopan in Kharkiv region with heavy guns. The settlement is under the control of the Russian army. They organized a distribution of humanitarian aid there, and when hundreds of people arrived, the neo-Nazis opened fire on them. There were fatalities and injuries.

Geolocation notes (4) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention strikes in multiple locations in the town of Kozacha Lopan (Козача Лопань). Analysing audiovisual material from sources, we have narrowed these locations down to the following coordinates: 50.336013, 36.193996; 50.334438, 36.190772.

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  • Tagged visual material from sources

    Imagery:
    Zvezda

  • Tagged visual material from sources

    Imagery:
    Zvezda

  • Tagged visual material from sources

    Imagery:
    First Kharkov

  • Tagged visual material from sources

    Imagery:
    First Kharkov

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Ukrainian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Ukrainian Military
  • Ukrainian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Ukrainian Military

Sources (29) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RUK070

Incident date

March 18, 2022

Location

Харківський регіональний інститут державного управління, Kharkiv Regional Institute of Public Administration, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Geolocation

49.991022, 36.254031 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On the morning of Friday March 18th 2022, a missile strike by alleged Russian shelling hit an educational building and two neighboring residential buildings, killing one civilian and injuring at least 11, in the town of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine.

Sources unanimously account for one civilian being killed, with ACLED Dataset reporting that it was a State Emergency employee whose death resulted from “repeated shelling during a rescue mission.” According to DSNS Telegram channel and Sunlitkh, a total of 55 people and 13 units were deployed with the State Emergency Service. Majority of the sources, including a report from the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union and Radio Svoboda, account for 11 civilians reported injured, with ACLED Dataset identifying one of them as a firefighter. Moreover, multiple sources such as Pravda news and the Kharkivlife telegram channel, report one person being under the rubble, later reported by @zynicism twitter account as rescued and not severely injured, technically raising the civilian injured count to 12.

Around 8.40 am a series of missile strikes hit Barabashovo market, as reported by the ACLED Dataset report, and according to the majority of sources, including Kharkiv Today, the six-story building of the Kharkiv Regional Institute of Public Administration of the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine was damaged. Moreover, most sources report damages to two neighboring residential buildings, where fires were extinguished according to, among other sources, Novynarnia news. According to LB.ua, information about the attack were also confirmed by the deputy head of Kharkiv OVA Roman Semenukha, and the head of the Main Department of the National Police of the Kharkiv region, Volodymyr Tymoshko, who published pictures of the damaged buildings and stated that the area was indeed residential and that a piece of the control unit of the missile had been recovered.

The vast majority of the sources identify the suspected attackers with the occupying Russian forces, including Radio Svoboda, Obozrevatel news, and the aforementioned local telegram channels such as Kharkivlife.

This assessment has reference to ACLED Code UKR53483.

The incident occured at approximately 8:40 am local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–12
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (24) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (19) [ collapse]

  • "In Kharkiv, as a result of enemy shelling, the building of a higher educational institution and residential buildings were damaged. There are dead and injured. This was reported to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine." (Image via Kharkivlife / Telegram)
  • "In Kharkiv, as a result of enemy shelling, the building of a higher educational institution and residential buildings were damaged. There are dead and injured. This was reported to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine." (Image via Kharkivlife / Telegram)
  • "In Kharkiv, as a result of enemy shelling, the building of a higher educational institution and residential buildings were damaged. There are dead and injured. This was reported to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine." (Image via Kharkivlife / Telegram)
  • "In Kharkiv, as a result of enemy shelling, the building of a higher educational institution and residential buildings were damaged. There are dead and injured. This was reported to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine." (Image via Kharkivlife / Telegram)
  • "In Kharkiv, as a result of enemy shelling, the building of a higher educational institution and residential buildings were damaged, at least one person died, 11 were injured, and one is under rubble." (Image via Pravda)
  • "In Kharkiv, as a result of rocket fire on the morning of March 18, the premises of the regional institute of public administration of the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine were destroyed." (Image via Ib.ua)
  • "In Kharkiv, as a result of rocket fire on the morning of March 18, the premises of the regional institute of public administration of the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine were destroyed." (Image via Ib.ua)
  • "In Kharkiv, as a result of rocket fire on the morning of March 18, the premises of the regional institute of public administration of the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine were destroyed." (Image via Ib.ua)
  • Emergency services attend to alleged Russian attack on March 18th 2022 in Kharkiv (Image via Suspilne.media)
  • Mukachevo.net
  • "As a result of shelling by Russian troops in Kharkiv on March 18, residential buildings and the building of a higher educational institution were damaged. One person died, one was buried under the rubble, and there are still other victims, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reports." (Image via Radiosvoboda / news)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Kharkiv Regional Institute of Public Administration (Харківський регіональний інститут державного управління), for which the generic coordinates are: 49.991022, 36.254031. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–12
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (24) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RUK067

Incident date

March 18, 2022

Location

Пісочин, Pisochyn, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Geolocation

49.954732, 36.103120 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On March 18 2022, one person was injured when 10 residential buildings in Pisochyn, Kharkiv were hit by suspected Russian shelling which also burnt a car and damaged several others, according to local sources.

Oleg Chornobai, the Head of the Pisochyn community announced the incident via Facebook, also stating that one person was injured in the attack. Initially gas and electricity services to the 10 damaged residential buildings were cut off but state services quickly worked to reinstate these. All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the shelling to Russia, with NV News specifically referring to Russian shelling.

This assessment has reference to ACLED code UKR54161.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Power Station
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Car damaged by alleged Russian shelling of Pisochyn on March 18, 2022. (Image posted by NV.ua)
  • Screenshot of Facebook post by Oleg Chernobay
  • Damage to electric poles caused by alleged Russian shelling of Pisochyn on March 18, 2022. (Image posted by Oleg Chernobay via Facebook)
  • Damage to electric poles caused by alleged Russian shelling of Pisochyn on March 18, 2022. (Image posted by Oleg Chernobay via Facebook)
  • Car damaged by alleged Russian shelling of Pisochyn on March 18, 2022. (Image posted by Oleg Chernobay via Facebook)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the suburb of Pisochyn (Пісочин) on the outskirts of the city of Kharkiv (Харків). The generic coordinates for Pisochyn are: 49.95345, 36.10418. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Power Station
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RUK069

Incident date

March 18, 2022

Location

північна Салтівка, Saltivka, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Geolocation

50.035340, 36.359933 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On March 18th 2022, alleged Russian bombardment struck the Saltivka area within Kharkiv. The initial reports described a Russian shell striking a residential building, killing one resident.

A wide array of news organizations and social media users reported that Russian shells struck a residential building, killing an elderly man in his apartment. Lb.ua offered the initial report that noted that an elderly man was killed in his home by a Russian shell when the missile struck a residential building. The victim was described as a ninety-six year old Holocaust survivor who survived Buchenwald, Dora-Mittelbau, Bergen-Belson, and Peenemunde. He was also listed as the Vice-President of the International Committee of Buchenwald.

Glavcom.ua News issued a poignant tweet that the victim survived Nazi concentration camps but could not survive “Russia’s denazification rescue operation”. Segodnya.us tweeted that the Buchenwald and Dora-Mittelbau Concentration Camp Memorial mourned the death of this Holocaust survivor.

Hromadske News offered a comprehensive report about the strike, quoted the victim’s daughter. She gave details about her father’s killing, saying that “only bones remained on the bed’s armored mesh, as he was lying”. Mayor Ihor Terekhov asked the city council to help remove the remains and offer financial aid to bury the man.

A plethora of news agencies, including Suspilne Media, CBS News, Nikvesti News, and Twitter users @Israel Threads, @Grey Kharkiv, and Firso Walex all offered reports on the death of a Holocaust survivor allegedly killed by Russian forces.

This assessment has reference to ACLED code UKR54068.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (39) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Damage to an apartment in north Saltivka caused by alleged Russian shelling on March 18, 2022. (Image posted by Lb.ua)
  • Damage to an apartment in north Saltivka caused by alleged Russian shelling on March 18, 2022. (Image posted by Lb.ua)
  • Vicitim of alleged Russian shelling on March 18, 2022. (Image posted by Lb.ua)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Saltivka (північна Салтівка), for which the generic coordinates are: 50.035340, 36.359933. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (39) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RUK071

Incident date

March 19, 2022

Location

ХТЗ, KhTZ, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Geolocation

49.944289, 36.377515 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On the evening of Saturday March 19th 2022, shelling by alleged Russian forces hit the Industrial District of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, killing two civilians including a 9-year-old child.

Almost every source accounts for two civilians being killed, except for H_saltovka Telegram channel reporting five. However, every other source reported the victims as a 9-year-child and a man, identified by the Tipichnoe_xtz Telegram channel as the father of the child.

Early reports on the 19th from Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group and Twitter accounts such as @no_itsmyturn and @HeedoAbuLaban, referring to statements made by Oleg Synegubov, the head of the Kharkiv OVA, identified the child as a girl. However, later accounts on the 20th and 21st of March from Tipichnoe_xtz, H_saltovka, and Kharkiv_1654 telegram channels reported that according to Vyacheslav Markov, assistant chief of police in the Kharkiv region, the child was a boy.

The attack took place in the evening in several districts of Kharkov, such as Northern Saltovka and Bolshaya Danilovka, while also hitting residential buildings in the KhTZ area, as reported by Gx.net.ua, in the Industrial District of Kharkiv, where the two civilians were killed.

The suspected attacker is alleged to be Russia, as reported by Hromadske, Novynarnia, and ACLED, although responsibility has not been accepted explicitly.

This assessment has reference to ACLED Code UKR54066.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • "Today's shelling of different districts of Kharkiv: a child is among the dead" (Image via Gx.net.ua)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the KhTZ (ХТЗ) neighbourhood of the city of Kharkiv (Харків), for which the generic coordinates are: 49.944289, 36.377515. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"type":"Feature","properties":{"stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1,"fill-opacity":0},"geometry":{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[36.3270664,49.9339307],[36.3565273,49.9420232],[36.3565915,49.94204329999999],[36.3572994,49.9443495],[36.3574927,49.9463103],[36.3563346,49.9477956],[36.3468074,49.9498391],[36.3510989,49.9603866],[36.3592529,49.9619879],[36.3693809,49.9680059],[36.3827705,49.96552149999999],[36.4036273,49.96000009999999],[36.3945287,49.9490929],[36.3990997,49.94757449999999],[36.3989066,49.9428246],[36.3978767,49.936472],[36.3850021,49.9304501],[36.3754749,49.92337749999999],[36.3581371,49.932218],[36.3464641,49.9257535],[36.3317012,49.9267481],[36.3270664,49.9339307]]]}}]}

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RUK072

Incident date

March 19, 2022

Location

Ізюм, Izium, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Geolocation

49.209884, 37.265703 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On March 19th, 2022 during a clash between Ukrainian and Russian forces, Russian shelling allegedly resulted in the death of five civilians, including a woman, in Izium.

According to several news outlets, five local residents were killed in Izium. 2day.kh.ua detailed the killing of five civilians, according to Oleg Synegubov, head of the Kharkov Military-Civilian Administration. Suspilne Media quoted Synegubov as saying that the death of the five civilians was “the result of hostile actions of the Russian Federation”.

The Police of the Kharkiv region posted on Facebook that “during heavy weapons fire by the Russian military, a 57-year-old woman was near her house and received shrapnel wounds from which she died. Neighbors buried her in the cemetery. People marked the burial place with a plaque with the details of the deceased.” On March 28, 2023 the investigators in the Kharkiv region conducted an examination of the body of the deceased woman and sent it for medical examination.

This assessment has reference to ACLED Code UKR53895.

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 woman)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of Izium on March 19, 2022. (Image posted by Suspilne.media)
  • Site of the burial of a woman killed by alleged Russian shelling in Izium district on March 19, 2022. (Image posted by the Kharkiv Police Department via Facebook)
  • Site of the burial of a woman killed by alleged Russian shelling in Izium district on March 19, 2022. (Image posted by the Kharkiv Police Department via Facebook)
  • Site of the burial of a woman killed by alleged Russian shelling in Izium district on March 19, 2022. (Image posted by the Kharkiv Police Department via Facebook)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Izium (Ізюм), for which the generic coordinates are: 49.209884, 37.265703. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 woman)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]