Meanwhile, the fighting in Ukraine ratcheted up dramatically, as Russian forces initiated an unyielding assault on Ukrainian defenders across the country. The eastern city of Pokrovsk has been particularly hard-hit, described by local officials as enduring “a small torrent … that simply does not stop.” This unending attack is part of a larger military strategy, as both parties ramp up attacks from the air and on the ground.
For example, in the southern city of Dnipro and the northeastern region of Sumy, residents endured simultaneous rocket and drone strikes. According to media, at least two people have been killed, and five others injured in Dnipro after the attack. In Sumy, at least three victims were confirmed as missiles hit residential buildings and streets.
Recently, the United States government designated HMX, a powerful explosive, as “critical for Russia’s war effort.” This recognition is the first step towards realizing just how crucial munitions have been to prolonging the current conflict. Overnight on Saturday, Russia launched an unprecedented barrage, launching 208 drones and 27 missiles at Ukrainian targets. Russia’s defense ministry claimed these strikes successfully targeted military facilities engaged in the “manufacture components for missile weapons, as well as produce ammunition and explosives.”
As the conflict becomes increasingly deadly… Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said that Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s top ground commander, identified Pokrovsk for “special attention” as the city continues to be susceptible to missile strikes. To further disrupt and degrade Russian military capabilities, Ukraine has stepped up strikes with explosive drones. Ukraine’s drones struck a central square in Sumy city on the night of 23-24 March, inflicting serious damage to the regional administration building.
Russia’s defense ministry further asserted that its forces had captured two additional villages in eastern Ukraine: Zelenyi Hai in the Donetsk region and Maliivka just inside the Dnipropetrovsk region. This strategic acquisition marks the latest in a series of attempts to expand Russian control over the region despite massive push back from Ukrainian forces.
Ukrainian forces continue to threaten Moscow on a very visible front. Most recently, drones hit an industrial compound in the Penza oblast, more than 600 kilometers southeast of the capital. It has been reported that this facility is Russia’s top maker of electronic warfare gear. Ukrainian drones hit a railway power supply in Russia’s Volgograd region. Conceding that cities could suffer significant consequences, including death and physical suffering, Rosaviatsia almost immediately moved to shut down any flights into the city’s airport early Sunday morning.
“There can be absolutely no silence in response to such strikes, and Ukrainian long-range drones ensure this. Russian military enterprises, Russian logistics, Russian airports must feel that the Russian war has real consequences for them.” – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Retaliation seems to be the order of the day, and as the cycles continue on both sides, neither conflict nor solutions seem imminent. Military analyst Viktor Trehubov noted the unexpected relentlessness in their attacks. He noted that even more concerning, they aren’t showing any signs of slowing down.
The situation is still very much in flux as Ukrainian and Russian forces have not fully retreated to their new positions. With now 972 civilian casualties counted and civilian infrastructure being targeted and weaponized, the humanitarian implications are devastating. International observers are increasingly alarmed by the spiraling violence and its ability to further destabilize the region.