A major general of the Russian army was liquidated near Kharkiv.

Russian Armed Forces plan to intensify their war aviation in order to launch missile and bomb strikes on major cities and industrial infrastructure of Ukraine.

The air defense of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shot down two Russian warplanes.

Ukraine calls on the international community to increase pressure on Russia to comply with its international obligations, including the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological Weapons, and not to pose additional security risks to the biological agents.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the Ronald Reagan Medal of Freedom.

 

WAR ROOM

 

Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

A major general of the Russian army was liquidated near Kharkiv.

During the fighting near Kharkiv, major general Vitaly Gerasimov, a Russian military leader, chief of staff, and first deputy commander of the 41st Army of the Central Military District of Russia was killed in action. A number of senior Russian army officers were also killed and wounded.

Vitaly Gerasimov participated in the Second Chechen War and the Russian Military Operation in Syria. He received a medal "For the Return of the Crimea."

The data obtained also indicate significant problems with communication in the Russian army and with the evacuation of their defeated units.

 

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

The Defense Forces of Ukraine continue to conduct protective measures within the Southern, Eastern and Northern Operational Zones, and the Joint Forces - in the eastern part of the Donetsk Operational District. Successful, defense of the city of Kyiv continues.

The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine repel concentrated missile and air strikes of the enemy. Protection of critical Ukrainian infrastructure and troops is being provided at the highest level.

Russian Armed Forces plan to intensify their war aviation in order to launch missile and bomb strikes on major cities and industrial infrastructure of Ukraine. To fulfil this goal, the aviation units of the Central and Eastern Military Districts are being transferred to the territory of the Republic of Belarus.

In the village of Myla (Kyiv region) a unit of Kadyrov (Chechen) mercenaries is shelling civilians.

Enemy groups operating in certain areas of Konotop and Okhtyrka lost up to 50 percent of their personnel. To continue the offensive, they need to regroup and replenish supplies.

The insidiousness of the occupiers is manifested in the tactics of terror against the civilian population. One of the most brutal examples of such actions is shelling of organized by the Ukrainian authorities’ humanitarian convoys.

The moral and psychological state of the enemy remains extremely low and tends to deteriorate. In some areas, the Russian soldiers are throwing out their own documents and trying to return to Russia.

The enemy continues the offensive operation against Ukraine with the support of aircraft and missile strikes, focusing its main efforts on the following tasks: providing a land corridor between the Temporary occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the mainland of the Russian Federation; taking full control of Mariupol; encirclement with further capture of Kyiv, as well as access to the administrative borders of Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

During the day, the enemy regrouped to organize the storming of Kyiv. The occupiers plan to join the assault by the most capable units and subdivisions of the Ramzan Kadyrov Special Guards Regiment (Grozny), the 27th Detachment of the Kuzbass (Kemerovo), the 604th Vityaz Center (Moscow) of the Russian guard, and the private military company Liga (formerly Wagner).

In the Polissya direction, the enemy concentrated in the settlements of Poliske, Kukhari, Borodyanka, Byshiv, Gorenichi, Demiyiv.

In the Byshiv direction, the enemy was maneuvering with forces up to two BTGs from the 36th Army of the RF Armed Forces and is trying to move forward.

In the Tarasivshchyna and Rakivka directions, the enemy from the 98th Airborne Division in cooperation with BTGr 155 Separate Marine Brigade after forcing the Irpin River near Rakivka launched an offensive, but has suffered significant losses in manpower and equipment, lost part of the offensive potential, and stopped.

In the Seversky direction, the enemy is conducting an offensive operation with the help of units from 2 and 41 Armies of the RF Armed Forces and the 90th Tank Division of the Central Military District in order to block Chernihiv and prepare for the attack on Sumy.

In the Slobozhansky direction, the enemy forces the 1st Tank Army of the Russian Armed Forces (up to 12 BTGr), the 20th Army of the Russian Armed Forces (up to 8 BTGr), the 6th Army (up to 2 BTGr) of the Western Military District, and the 14th Army Corps of the Russian Armed Forces (up to 2 BTGr) focuses on the directions of Kaniv, Novomoskovsk. Stopped and trying to resume the offensive on Severodonetsk by the 144th Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Army of the Russian Armed Forces. Carries out regrouping and preparation for the storming of the city of Sumy.

In an attempt to capture Izum, the enemy suffered losses and retreated. The occupiers terrorized the city, shelling civilian homes and infrastructure.

In the Donetsk direction, the enemy with forces of up to 7 BTGr 1, 2 AK, and 150 Motorized Infantry Division of the 8th Army continues offensive operations in the direction of the Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia in order to reach the administrative borders of the Donetsk region.

In order to conduct offensive operations in the direction of Severodonetsk, the BTGr of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division is being moved. Attempts to break through the defense in the Volnovakha direction. He is trying to break through the defense of Mariupol, but to no avail.

On the Tavriya direction the enemy forces separate forces of separate divisions of the 49th Army of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, 22 Army Corps, 20 Motorized Infantry Division of the 8th Army of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and Airborne Troops in the following directions; to Voznesensk - up to 3 BTGr from the 49th Army of the RF Armed Forces; in Zaporizhia - up to 4 BTGr of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division and 136 Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade of the 58th Army of the RF Armed Forces; Melitopol, Mariupol - up to 3 BTGr from the 19th Motorized Rifle Division of the 58th Army. Carries out regrouping of troops for offensive operations.

In the South Bug operational area, the enemy is stopped on approaches to Nikolaev, carries out regrouping of troops for resumption of offensive.

In general, the moral and psychological state of the enemy is low. He is demoralized due to heavy losses in manpower and military equipment, in some areas Russian soldiers are trying to desert.

During the fighting near Kharkiv, the Chief of Staff, First Deputy Commander of the 41st Army, Major General Vitaliy Gerasimov, was killed, and several senior officers of the Army Staff were killed and wounded.

 

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

The air defense of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shot down two Russian warplanes: the first - over Kyiv at 8:30 p.m., and the second - in the air battle at 21:10 in the vicinity of Kyiv.

 

Air Force Command of UA Armed Forces

12 days of the war, and the Ukrainian air defense is still effectively destroying the Russian forces in the sky.

Many cruise missiles fired by Russians from various directions do not reach their targets thanks to the state's air defense system. Today, one more of them was intercepted by a missile fired from a Ukrainian fighter jet.

Last night, Ukrainian fighter jets destroyed two enemy aircraft in an air battle near the capital. The third - in the same battle, was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile.

The Air Force's strike aircraft worked extremely successfully in several strategic areas. Su-25 attack aircraft and Su-24m bombers burned several convoys of enemy equipment.

On March 7, there are reports of the downing of one enemy helicopter and three fighter jets. One of them was shot down in the Kharkiv region by a serviceman of the National Guard of Ukraine, the other two - near Kyiv, shot down by an anti-aircraft missile unit and an aircraft fighter jet of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Dozens of the Russian cruise and ballistic missiles, 52 fighter jets, 69 helicopters, and other small targets were shot down by the Air Force of Ukraine since February 24th.

 

OSCE /SMM to Ukraine

On March 6, the SMM Mission received reports that the SMM premises in Mariupol were damaged by shelling. According to initial reports from SMM national mission members, the building has been damaged, SMM communication equipment has been destroyed, and two SMM vehicles were set on fire.

The process of temporary evacuation of all international mission members is nearing its completion. The last remaining group – the Chief Monitor and senior management team – will now leave Ukraine.

The relocation of national mission members formerly stationed in Kramatorsk and Sievierodonetsk continues while the relocation of those formerly stationed in Mariupol is still pending due to security concerns. Another convoy of national mission members from Kyiv has started its movement out of the capitol of Ukraine.

(https://www.osce.org/files/2022-03-06%20Daily%20Report_ENG.pdf?itok=02960)