Victory Chronicles-DAY 778

The Trypillia thermal power plant in Ukraine was destroyed by a massive missile attack on April 11, according to Andriy Gota, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Centrenergo. 

All employees on duty at the time of the attack survived. The missile strikes caused a large-scale fire in the turbine shop, and efforts are currently underway to contain the fire. This incident has resulted in a complete loss of generation for PJSC Centrenergo. Trypillia TPP was a major electricity supplier to several Oblasts, including Kyiv, Cherkasy, and Zhytomyr. 

Gota described the scale of the destruction as immense and the biggest challenge in the company’s history. This attack comes after the destruction of Zmiivska TPP in March and the occupation of Vuhlehirska TPP in July by Russian forces.

SOURCE

On April 10-11, Russia launched a significant attack on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, targeting the Lviv Oblast. The attack consisted of 82 air attack vehicles, including cruise missiles, hypersonic air-launched missiles, anti-aircraft missiles, attack UAVs, and air-to-surface missiles. However, Ukraine’s air defense system successfully destroyed 57 of these targets, including 16 cruise missiles, 39 attack UAVs, and 2 guided missiles. Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated that the defense against the Russian air attack involved fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft missile forces, mobile fire groups, and electronic warfare units. 

The Public Affairs Service of the 95th separate airborne assault brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has released a photo report on the training of Ukrainian defenders.  “The key to successful operations on the battlefield is training. That is why the sergeants of the Air Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are constantly training fighters and polishing their skills. They are always with their men, sharing their experience so that every fighter becomes a true warrior,” the 95th Brigade’s press service said.

SOURCE

Fighters of the Third Assault Brigade destroyed a T-72 tank, BMP-2, MT-LB, trucks and cars of the Russians moving along the logistics routes on the front line. The Third Assault Brigade released video evidence of this.

SOURCE

The Ukrainian military’s effective use of drones on the battlefield cannot fully mitigate Ukraine’s theater-wide shortage of critical munitions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in an interview with German outlet BILD published on April 10 that Ukraine is successfully domestically producing drones, but that drones cannot replace air defense systems, long-range missile systems, or artillery.

Ukrainian forces have partially mitigated ongoing artillery ammunition shortages by using first-person view (FPV) drones to blunt Russian infantry and armored vehicle assaults, although artillery systems can deliver much more powerful strikes than loitering munitions and drone-dropped munitions. An unnamed NATO official told Foreign Policy in an article published on April 9 that Ukrainian forces have used FPV drones to “destroy” over two-thirds of the total number of Russian tanks that the Ukrainians have “destroyed” in recent months. Ukrainian FPV drone pilots reportedly target a Russian tank’s ”open hatch, the engine or ammunition stored in the turret.”

Ukrainian FPV drones are likely able to temporarily render armored vehicles hors de combat during a combat operation, but current FPV drones with relatively light payloads are unlikely to destroy armored vehicles rendering them irretrievable and irreparable very often. Electronic warfare systems and increased armor on armored vehicles can also make it difficult for FPV drones to strike a specific target location on the vehicle, although technological and tactical competition can create periodic windows of opportunity for offense or defense to gain an advantage. Reuters reported on March 26 that Ukrainian FPV drone pilots acknowledged that they would be unable to hold the frontline without artillery and infantry.

Ukrainian forces have managed partially to repel an increased tempo of Russian mechanized assaults in recent weeks despite ammunition shortages. Ukraine’s ability to repel mechanized assaults with FPV drones is a partial mitigation, however, and continued shortages of artillery deprive Ukrainian forces of the ability to destroy armored vehicles rapidly and in large numbers.

US European Command (EUCOM) Commander General Christopher Cavoli warned on April 10 that Russian forces currently have a five-to-one artillery advantage along the frontline – a statement consistent with Ukrainian officials’ reports – but that Russian forces could have a 10-to-1 artillery advantage “in a matter of weeks” if the United States continues to delay the provision of military aid to Ukraine.

 Zelensky and senior Ukrainian military officials have recently warned that delays in Western military assistance have forced Ukraine to cede the battlefield initiative to Russia and that the Ukrainian military cannot plan a successful counteroffensive or defensive effort without knowing when and what kind of aid Ukraine will receive. ISW continues to assess that delays in Western military assistance have forced the Ukrainian military to husband materiel and that Ukrainian forces must make difficult decisions prioritizing certain aspects of its defense at the cost of lives and lost territory as well as at the expense of contesting the initiative to constrain Russian military capabilities or planning for future counteroffensive operations.

SOURCE

Junior Sergeant Mykola Mialkovskyi, with the call sign Myka, died on December 4, 2023, in the village of Torske, Donetsk Oblast. While performing a combat mission, he was fatally wounded by a Russian drone attack. The warrior is forever 28.

Mykola was born in Lutsk, Volyn Oblast. He studied at school No. 1 and at the Buchach Lyceum named after St. Josaphat. Then he graduated from the National University of Ostroh Academy with a degree in Cultural Studies. He studied at the Catholic University of Lublin, and on an exchange program at the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium). He settled in Poland. He worked in the Department of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the City Hall of Lublin and was responsible for projects related to academic cooperation. He was a multifaceted person. He painted with his artist mother, Tetiana Mialkowska, played sports, played the violin, and sang in the church choir. He was a member of the UMH community and an active Christian activist.

After the full-scale invasion of the occupiers, the man returned to his homeland and joined the ranks of the defenders. He served in the 100th separate territorial defense brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was a UAV operator and instructor in the 54th Battalion.

During his service, the fighter was awarded the medal “For Military Valor” and posthumously the “Golden Cross” award of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“Mykola is my pride, my Hero and my beloved. He was incredible. I have always been immensely proud of him. On the first day of the full-scale invasion, he wrote a letter of resignation at the Lublin City Hall to defend his family and the state. I have always been proud of his courage, bravery, and courage. His beauty and kindness. He is a true example for me and for all of us. And I have always looked up to him. He devoted all his free time to improving his drone skills. He read, developed and prepared for the defense of our territories. Mykola is the color of our nation. Now he is forever with us, in our hearts and memory. I sincerely believe that I have his dome of protection and light behind me, which will accompany me all my life,” said his beloved Anastasia Yashchuk.

The Hero was buried on the Alley of Glory at the cemetery in the village of Garazdzha, Lutsk district. Mykola is survived by his parents, girlfriend, family and friends. 

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

SOURCE

• The European Parliament has blocked funding for the EU Council until Ukraine is provided with additional Patriot missiles
• Ukraine needs 25 Patriots to repel combined enemy attacks – Air Force
• Mayor: Reconstruction of Mykolaiv will cost $2.9 billion
• Latvia to provide EUR 112M in military aid to Ukraine in 2024
• Freedom House: Ukraine on democratic path amid rising authoritarianism in region.