Fifth day. Ukraine is easily winning the war, at least in the Western media.
On the ground, the fifth day of the Russian offensive shows the extent of the strategic defeat of Zelensky's troops, who were unable to stop the Russian general staff's plan from unfolding.
One notable fact: it is almost impossible to find any trace of Ukrainian losses on social networks or in the Western media. On the other hand, these same channels are saturated with Russian "losses" (destroyed or abandoned tanks, prisoners, etc.). On the ground, these "successes" translate into a generalized retreat of the pro-NATO troops at an extremely fast pace.
Today's key facts:
- The Russian army has established air superiority over the whole of Ukraine after a campaign of strategic strikes on all enemy airports and air defence systems (Russian General Staff, 28 February).
- After the collapse of the Ukrainian southern front, the junction of Russian forces from Crimea with the Donbass is imminent
- Kiev is surrounded.
- Russian forces from Sumy in the east are rapidly approaching Kiev and threaten to complete the encirclement of all Ukrainian forces in the north-east.
This Chinese map correctly reports the state of the front after five days of fighting. It gives you an idea of the 'victorious resistance' of Zelensky's troops in less than a week of war.
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Russian air supremacy
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Northern axis (Kiev - Cherkihiv)
The capital is surrounded.
Russian forces continue to pour into the capital.
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Eastern axis (Sumy - Kharkov)
The Russian vanguard has passed Prilouky, on the road to Kiev.
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Russian armoured units have also reached the Poltava region.
A Russian strike against the large arms depot in Palanka, Cherkassy oblast (centre of the country, left bank of the Dnieper), triggered a very large explosion (note: the video surfaced yesterday, but seems to have been filmed at the beginning of the conflict).
Southern axis (Odessa - Mariupol)
The Sea of Azov is under total control of the Russian army on the fifth day of the operation.
The fall of the port of Berdiansk, the encirclement of Mariupol and the imminent junction of Russian troops with the Donbass ensure Russia's complete control of the south-eastern maritime front of Ukraine.
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(highly professional mapping skills here)
Movement towards the Donbass
In Volnovakha, the last fighting takes place to complete the junction between the Russian forces from Crimea and the Donbass republics.
The Russian troops are now only 20 kilometres away from the pro-Russian separatist forces.
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Movement towards Odessa
Rumours of a landing of Russian marines in order to take the port of Odessa are reported by the Zelensky government.
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The capture of Odessa would complete the complete maritime lockdown of Ukraine, which, coupled with the encirclement of the capital and the loss of airspace control, would seal the paralysis of the pro-NATO forces.