Victory Chronicles-DAY 736

According to Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Air Force destroyed two more Russian Su-34 fighter bombers. The commander expressed his disappointment that Russian pilots did not learn from their previous losses. Two aircraft were downed in the Avdiivka and Mariupol sectors. This followed a report of a Su-34 shot down in the eastern direction on Thursday morning. As of February 29, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have shot down a total of 13 Russian aircraft since the beginning of the month.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces also confirmed the downing: “After a successful combat operation against an enemy aircraft on the night of February 29, two more Russian aircraft were destroyed: Su-34 fighter-bombers at the Avdiivka and Mariupol directions! Thank you for your combat work!”

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Kroo has announced that Belgium will provide €200 million in financing for a Czech initiative to purchase 800,000 shells for Ukraine from outside Europe to support the Ukrainian army further. The decision was made in response to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s request for more ammunition to defend against Russia. The Czech Prime Minister, Petr Fiala, stated that 15 European countries support this initiative. Czech President Pavel has also expressed the need to urgently deliver ammunition and weapons to Ukraine, possibly supplying 500,000 155 mm and 300,000 122 mm shells from third countries within a few weeks if sufficient funding is obtained. This collaboration among Belgium, the Czech Republic, and other European countries aims to bolster Ukraine’s defense capabilities in the face of Russian aggression.

Over the past 24 hours, eight people have been killed and 12 others wounded in attacks by Russian forces in Ukraine. The attacks took place in various regions, including Dnipropetrovs’k, Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson Oblasts. In one incident in the Kharkiv Oblast, Russian forces used guided aerial bombs to shell a railway station in Velykyi Burluk, killing a 48-year-old man and a six-year-old girl and injuring the child’s mother. The attack took place around 17:00 local time. The village of Velykyi Burluk, located in the Kupiansk district, was repeatedly targeted throughout the day. 

The fire in Kurakhove, a town in Donetsk Oblast, was caused by Russian shelling. The shelling took place yesterday afternoon, setting a warehouse building and a car on fire. The State Emergency Service managed to extinguish the fire, which covered an area of 40 square meters. In addition, four cars were damaged as a result of the shelling.

Ukrainian forces reportedly conducted another strike on a Russian personnel concentration in occupied Donetsk Oblast, once again sparking ire amongst Russian milbloggers and re-surfacing concerns about Ukraine’s use of HIMARS systems. A Russian Telegram user who claims to be an employee of an unspecified branch of Russian special services reported that a Ukrainian HIMARS strike hit a gathering of personnel of the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade (Pacific Fleet) during a military awards ceremony in Olenivka, Donetsk Oblast on the night of February 27.

The Russian source claimed that the strike killed 19, including the deputy brigade commander, a major, and a captain, and wounded 12, including brigade commander Colonel Mikhail Gudkov. The Russian source accused the Russian command of being aware of Ukrainian drone reconnaissance activity in the area but ignoring the available information ahead of the strike. Ukrainian forces have conducted two similar HIMARS strikes against Russian troop concentrations over the past week, targeting a training ground near occupied Volnovakha, Donetsk Oblast on February 20 and a training ground in occupied Podo-Kalynivka, Kherson Oblast on February 22.

One milblogger noted that “these are no longer isolated mistakes,” and suggested that Ukraine is deliberately striking such gatherings of Russian personnel in a “clinical” manner. Russian milbloggers appear increasingly concerned that Ukrainian forces are able to exploit poor Russian operational security practices (such as large gatherings in near-rear areas under Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance) using well-timed and well-targeted HIMARS strikes, which continue to generate discontent in the Russian information space.

Major Oleh Adamovskyi, with the call sign Marvel, was killed in action near Kharkiv. The group under his leadership was performing a combat mission and fell into an enemy ambush. At the cost of his own life, the 30-year-old commander covered the retreat of his fighters. He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

Oleh was born in Donetsk Oblast. He dreamed of being a professional fighter since childhood when he listened attentively to his father’s stories about his service in the military. In 2014, he graduated with honors from the Kharkiv National Air Force University named after Ivan Kozhedub. 

He served in the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Kosh Ataman Ivan Sirko. The man often joked that he was a Marvel superhero who would defeat any enemy, so he chose this call sign.

“The day before he died, the man unexpectedly managed to escape home for a few hours. He came home thin, unshaven, exhausted. He kept trying to talk about some banal things, joking. I asked him to be careful. I knew he was ready to sacrifice himself for others. On the morning of March 12, he talked to his mother. In the evening, I wrote SMS. He answered one, but not the next. I could not find a place. His friend called and said that Oleh was dead. Then they told me that the fighters had an important mission, the successful completion of which would have stopped the enemy’s advance. This was the man’s third attempt to fulfill it. His comrades even discouraged him. They said it was dangerous. But he did not back down. He said he would do everything to prevent the Russian army from entering Kharkiv. When the unit moved forward for the third time, Oleh was the first to go. When the group ran into an ambush, he did everything he could to make sure his comrades got out alive,” said the Hero’s wife Anna.

Oleh was not only a professional fighter, but also a caring citizen. He always helped people in need and disadvantaged animals. After the warrior’s death, his wife continued to help shelters instead. The Hero was buried in his native Donetsk Oblast. On March 19, 2023, he was reburied in Kharkiv on the Alley of Heroes. Oleh is survived by his parents and wife.

*Oleh’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

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