Battle of Rubizhne

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Battle of Rubizhne
Part of the eastern Ukraine offensive and the battle of Donbas

Ruins of Rubizhne after the battle
Date15 March – 12 May 2022
(1 month, 3 weeks and 6 days)
Location
Rubizhne, Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine
Result Russian and Luhansk Republic victory[1][2]
Belligerents
  Ukraine
Casualties and losses
13+ civilians killed, 14+ wounded

The battle of Rubizhne was a military engagement on the eastern theatre of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The city came under Russian control on 12 May.

Background[edit]

On 2 March, fighting was reported in almost all the villages near Sievierodonetsk.[3] Four days later, governor of Luhansk Oblast Serhiy Haidai stated that fighting was taking place on the outskirts of Lysychansk, Sievierodonetsk and Rubizhne.[4]

Battle[edit]

Ruined buildings in Rubizhne following the battle

March[edit]

On 17 March, Russian forces advanced into Rubizhne.[5] By noon, they had captured the western and northwestern outskirts, and were assaulting the southern part of the city.[6] Separatist troops raised the flag of the Luhansk People's Republic above a city administration building. Fighting continued the following day.[7] Between 19 and 20 March, Russian and LPR forces captured the village of Varvarivka [uk], north of Rubizhne.[8]

On 22 March, the head of the LPR, Leonid Pasechnik, claimed that while "almost 80% of the territory" of the Luhansk region had been taken, Rubizhne had not yet been "liberated", noting that units of the People's Militia of the LPR were still fighting to take the city under their control.[9] Two days later, Ukrainian government officials in Luhansk Oblast said that Russian forces had made advances in Rubizhne.[10]

April[edit]

By 6 April, Russian forces had reportedly captured 60% of the city of Rubizhne,[11] shells and rockets were landing in the city on "regular, sustained intervals".[12] On 11 and 12 April, continuing Russian attacks gained no ground.[13][14]

On the morning of 18 April, Russia renewed its offensive in Donbas, Russian troops entered Kreminna,[15] as Ukrainian forces lost control amid heavy fighting.[16][17][18] Haidai claimed that more than 200 civilians were killed during the battle, with four additional civilians being killed and one more wounded as they attempted to escape the fighting.[19][20] During the fighting, a LPR battalion commander, Mikhail Kishchik, otherwise known as "Misha Chechen",[21] was killed when he and his fighters were surrounded by Ukrainian forces close to Kreminna and "fought to the last", according to the LPR. The clashes left an unknown number of killed and wounded.[22] By the next day, Russian forces secured full control of Kreminna.[23][24]

Russian and LPR forces continued advancing in Rubizhne on 19 and 20 April,[25] capturing the central part of the city.[26] As of 26 April, the Russian military was slowly advancing west and south of the city in an attempt to encircle Ukrainian forces.[27]

May[edit]

On 2 May, Haidai reported that the village of Mykhailivka, Sievierodonetsk Raion [uk] was shelled by Russian forces, resulting in the death of a priest.[28] The Ukrainian military claimed on 4 May that Russian forces yet to take full control of Rubizhne.[29] It was reported that Russian forces seized Rubizhne and the nearby town of Voevodivka on 12 May 2022.[1]

Writing for the BBC, Quentin Sommerville claimed that during the fighting for Rubizhne, Russian forces fired up to 1500 shells per day to "wipe out" ground resistance before they advanced.[30]

Casualties[edit]

At least 13 civilians were killed and 14 wounded due to fighting in the city.[31][32][33][34]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Ukrainian forces lose foothold in eastern town". CNN. 13 May 2022.
  2. ^ Ukrainian commander in Lysychansk all but confirmed to us the loss of Rubhizne, North of Severodonetsk. The Ukrainians now only control one exit to the town., Twitter
  3. ^ "Бої тривають майже у всіх довколишніх селах навколо Сєвєродонецька – голова Луганської обладміністрації". Інтерфакс-Україна (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  4. ^ Ivan Boyko (6 March 2022). "Бої біля трьох міст: стало відомо, де на Луганщині дуже "гаряче"". Ukrainian Independent Information Agency (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Ворог просунувся в Рубіжному на Луганщині – голова ОВА". Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  6. ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 17". Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  7. ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 18". Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  8. ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 20". Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  9. ^ "Глава ЛНР заявил об освобождении от украинских военных порядка 80% территории республики". TASS. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  10. ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 24". Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  11. ^ "Russian forces control 60% of Rubizhne town in east Ukraine, says governor | Reuters.com". Reuters. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  12. ^ Presse, AFP-Agence France. "Sustained Bombardment Seen In Severodonetsk: AFP". www.barrons.com. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  13. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 11". Institute for the Study of War. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  14. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 12". Institute for the Study of War. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  15. ^ "Росіяни взяли під контроль Кремінну, йдуть вуличні бої – Гайдай". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  16. ^ "Russia begins Donbas offensive in eastern Ukraine". 18 April 2022.
  17. ^ "Russia begins large-scale military action to seize eastern Ukraine". the Guardian. 19 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  18. ^ Aditi Sangal, Melissa Macaya, Maureen Chowdhury, Travis Caldwell, Helen Regan, Jack Guy and George Ramsay (18 April 2022). "Control over city of Kreminna "lost" amid heavy fighting". CNN.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ "Russia takes Donbas town but Ukrainian frontline 'still holding'". TheGuardian.com. 19 April 2022.
  20. ^ Zabrisky, Zarina [@ZarinaZabrisky] (18 April 2022). "#Luhansk region The Russians opened fire on the cars with civilians trying to leave Kremennaya, 4 dead, 1 wounded. Medics cannot reach her because of the endless shelling and street fighting. Serhiy Gaidai, head of the Luhansk OVA" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 April 2022 – via Twitter.
  21. ^ "Pro Russian separatist killed in Ukraine". 19 April 2022.
  22. ^ "Pro-Russian separatist army commander killed in east of Ukraine". BBC News. 16 April 2022.
  23. ^ "Russian forces capture first city in battle for Donbas". The Guardian. 19 April 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  24. ^ "Russian forces seize first town in new phase of Ukraine invasion". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  25. ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, APRIL 20". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  26. ^ Murphy, Paul P. (20 April 2022). "Russians take control of central Rubizhne in Luhansk, videos show". CNN.
  27. ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, APRIL 26". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  28. ^ "Priest was killed by Russian shelling in Luhansk region". 4 May 2022.
  29. ^ "Russian troops fail to take control of Popasna and Rubizhne". 5 May 2022.
  30. ^ "'I watched from afar Russia's latest merciless assault on Severodonetsk'". BBC. 30 May 2022.
  31. ^ "Three civilians, two children killed in shelling of Rubizhne – Luhansk authorities". Interfax-Ukraine. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  32. ^ "Rubizhne under shelling by Russian troops: four people killed, 10 civilians wounded over past day". www.ukrinform.net. 17 March 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  33. ^ Balachuk, Iryna (15 March 2022). "Russia's shelling of hospital, residential care facility, and 3 schools in Rubizhne: 4 killed". Ukrayinska Pravda. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  34. ^ "Two people killed in enemy shelling of Rubizhne overnight". www.ukrinform.net. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.

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