Victory Chronicles-DAY 1121

A Ukrainian drone attack targeted Engels airbase in Russia’s Saratov region overnight on March 20, causing fires, explosions, and secondary detonations of ammunition, Ukrainian security sources and the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported.

The strike, 500 kilometers (310 miles) southeast of Moscow, is a major base that is used primarily by long-range strategic bombers that bombard Ukraine.  It houses Tu-95MS, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 bombers, which are used for missile strikes against Ukraine. The site also stores guided bombs and cruise missiles.

According to a Ukrainian security source, Russian air defenses were ineffective, with some missiles hitting civilian infrastructure in Engels and Saratov instead of intercepting the drones. The General Staff confirmed the attack, emphasizing that the airbase plays a direct role in Russia’s missile strikes and attacks on civilians in Ukraine.

“Ukraine’s Defense Forces are committed to targeting strategic Russian military sites while adhering to international humanitarian law and minimizing risks to civilians,” the military said.

UK intelligence estimates Russian losses at 900,000 since 2022. Russia has suffered around 900,000 military casualties, killed or wounded, since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to British Intelligence, the UK Ministry of Defense reported on March 20.

Of these, an estimated 200,000 to 250,000 Russian soldiers have been killed, marking Russia’s largest military losses since World War II, the report stated.

British analysts suggest that Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin and the country’s military leadership prioritize war objectives over soldiers’ lives, showing a willingness to endure high casualties as long as public and elite support remains intact and troop losses can be replaced. Moscow’s actions also indicate a low sense of value for human lives.

The report also notes that ethnic minorities and residents of poorer regions are disproportionately targeted in Russian recruitment efforts, while ethnic Russians and residents of urban centers like Moscow and Saint  Petersburg have contributed significantly fewer troops.

Russian airstrikes kill two civilians, injure three in Kharkiv regional town of  Kupiansk. Russian forces launched a series of airstrikes on Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, on March 19, killing two civilians and injuring three others, Ukrainian officials said.

According to the State Emergency Service and Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, Russian warplanes dropped at least 20 guided bombs (KABs) over several hours, causing fires in residential areas and damaging critical infrastructure in the northeastern town. Kupiansk serves as an important transportation hub, making it a strategic location. It lies 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Kharkiv. 

An 85-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man were killed. Rescuers recovered the woman’s body from the rubble of a destroyed home on March 20. A 76-year-old man suffered a stress reaction, while another victim sustained blast injuries.

Ukraine’s military intelligence targets Russian positions near Pokrovsk with M777 howitzers. Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) used artillery units to strike Russian positions along the Pokrovsk salient using lightweight 155-millimeter M777 howitzers, the Main Directorate of Intelligence reported on March 20.The weapon has a range of up to 40 kilometers.

Video footage released by HUR shows fighters from the Art Division unit within the Tymur Special Unit conducting precision strikes against enemy concentrations in the Donetsk region.

The operation, dubbed “Three Axes of Retribution,” aims to disrupt Russian forces and fortifications in occupied areas. Ukraine’s military emphasized that artillery operations remain key in resisting Russia’s ongoing aggression.

Key Takeaways:

• Russia and Ukraine have not formally announced the implementation of the temporary long-range strikes ceasefire.
• Official American, Ukrainian, and Russian statements indicate that the parties to the ceasefire have not yet finalized the details of the agreement.
• Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin is adding confusion about the timing and details of the ceasefire in an attempt to falsely blame Ukraine for violating the ceasefire before both countries have officially implemented the agreement.
• The Kremlin continues to contradict U.S. President Donald Trump’s report of his call with Putin on March 18.
• The Kremlin continues to demand that Ukraine cede Ukrainian territory that Russia does not currently occupy and to set conditions to make further territorial demands.
• The United States, Ukraine, and Europe continue to agree that Ukraine and Europe must be involved in peace negotiations to end the war, despite Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin’s efforts to exclude Ukraine and Europe from such negotiations.
• Ukraine and Russia conducted a prisoner of war (POW) exchange on March 19.
• The Russian Ministry of Defense’s (MoD) Main Military-Political Directorate Deputy Head and Akhmat Spetsnaz Commander, Major General Apti Alaudinov, described recent Russian deception tactics that may amount to acts of perfidy — a war crime under the Geneva Convention.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Belgorod Oblast and near Pokrovsk, and Russian forces recently advanced near Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Velyka Novosilka.
• Russian military bloggers  argued that the Russian government should give military awards and social benefits to military instructors and Russian defense industrial base (DIB) employees.

Ukrainian soldier Vadym Prokopchuk is killed in Avdiivka Battle. Pvt. Vadym Prokopchuk, known by the call sign “Maestro,” was killed on Feb. 12, 2024, during the battle for the industrial town of Avdiivka in the  Donetsk region. While evacuating a wounded comrade, he sustained fatal injuries from a mortar strike. He was 22 years old.

Born in Lutsk, Volyn region, Prokopchuk had a lifelong passion for music. He graduated from the Volyn College of Culture and Arts and later from the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine in 2023, where he played the trombone. Alongside his studies, he performed with various musical groups and worked in construction.

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion, he joined the Territorial Defense Forces and took part in the liberation of Kyiv region with the 100th Brigade. In March 2023, he transferred to the 3rd Assault Brigade, where he commanded a unit.

During his service, Prokopchuk was awarded the Ground Forces Commander’s Badge for Personal Courage, the Commander-in-Chief’s Gold Cross, and the War Veteran Medal.

“Vadym was a steel warrior without a trace of fear, a wise man who always had an answer, a fierce defender of justice, and a devoted husband and son,” his wife, Yulia, wrote. “He was also a talented musician, a man who respected his wife, a caring son who always found time for his mother, and a romantic at heart. He embodied discipline, loyalty, and boundless love.”

Prokopchuk was buried in the Alley of Glory in Kivertsi, Volyn region. He is survived by his wife and parents.

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

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• EU High Representative on helping Ukraine: We can take small steps and start with 5 billion euros for shells
• Survey: Nearly 80 percent of Ukrainians oppose withdrawing Armed Forces from Russian-occupied territories
• General Staff reports: Ukraine’s Air Force destroys Russian command post in Belgorod Oblast
• Zelenskyy: Ukraine receives new batch of F-16 Fighting Falcon jets