Victory Chronicles-DAY 1125

Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade has regained control of the village of Nadiia (Hope) in the easternmost region of Luhansk, following a 30-hour military operation, the unit reported on March 23.

The 1st Assault Battalion played a key role in the battle, which resulted in the liberation of three square kilometers (1.158 square miles) of territory. According to the brigade, the Russian military spent two months defending the area, losing two mechanized regiments — the 752nd and 254th of the 20th Army.

Brigade commander Sr. Lt. Volodymyr Fokin, known as “Foka,” (Seal) said that recapturing Nadiia allows Ukrainian forces to control the Chornyi Zherebets River and monitor Russian-occupied Raihorodka and Dzherelne.

“Taking back Nadiia complicates enemy mechanized advances toward the village of Kopanky and further toward Zelenyi Hai and Borova. This maneuver also enables us to maintain fire control over Pershotravneve (Stepy) and Vyshneve. Overall, we have strengthened our defensive line and secured more advantageous positions,” Fokin said.

Drone Coalition allocates 20 million euros for reconnaissance UAVs for Ukraine. The Drone Coalition, a group of countries that technologically support Ukraine, has allocated  20 million euro from its joint fund to procure tactical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drones for Ukraine’s Defense Forces, officials announced on March 24. The drones are expected to be delivered within three months.

“We are grateful to our partners for addressing this critical need. Speed and adaptability in decision-making are crucial, especially now, as the Defense Forces urgently require these drones to enhance reconnaissance and situational awareness,” said Kateryna Chernohorenko, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Defense for Digital Development.

In February, the Drone Coalition launched its third international tender for multi-rotor reconnaissance drones, with Ukrainian developers bidding for the second time. The selection process is currently underway.

Russian drone attack injures civilian male, damages homes, and sparks fire in Kyiv region. A Russian drone strike on Fastiv district located south of Kyiv, injured a thirty-seven-year-old civilian male, damaged two single-family homes, and caused a fire at a commercial facility, regional authorities said on March 24.

The injured man suffered superficial shrapnel wounds to his abdomen, chest, thighs, and head and was hospitalized for treatment, according to the Kyiv Regional Military Administration. Firefighters were seen extinguishing the blaze at a commercial site caused by the strike.

Ukrainian special forces destroy four Russian helicopters in Belgorod region. Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO), in coordination with military intelligence, missile troops, and artillery, destroyed two Ka-52 Alligator assault helicopters and two Mi-8 Hip transport helicopters in the neighboring Russian region of Belgorod, officials reported on March 21.

The covert operation, carried out in recent days, targeted a concealed Russian forward operating base, where helicopters were stationed for rapid deployment and surprise attacks on Ukrainian forces.

According to video footage released by SSO, the helicopters were struck by HIMARS rocket artillery, hitting the enemy’s deep rear positions. “The enemy believed they were untouchable in the rear. We’ve proven once again that nothing is out of reach for the SSO. We keep working,” Ukraine’s special forces said in a statement.

Key Takeaways:

• U.S. and Ukrainian officials are meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on the evening of March 23 to discuss the contours of the temporary moratorium on long-range strikes and a possible temporary maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea.
• Unconfirmed reports suggest that there is tension between Russian Central Bank Chairperson Elvira Nabiullina and the Kremlin over Russia’s high interest rate and wartime monetary policies.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Borova, and Russian forces recently advanced near Toretsk and Pokrovsk.

Ukrainian soldier Ivan Kuzmenko dies after battle wound complications. Jr. Sgt. Ivan Kuzmenko, known by the call sign “Did” (grandfather), died on Oct. 17, 2023, in a hospital in Ichnia, Chernihiv region, due to complications from wounds that were initially sustained in 2015 during his service in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO). He was 51 years old

Kuzmenko was born in Amur region, Russia, and moved with his family to Ichnia at age six. He studied at School No. 1 and later trained as a tractor operator at Ichnia Vocational School No. 37 before serving in the military. Upon returning to civilian life, he worked in agriculture, security in Kyiv, and later in Obukhiv south of Kyiv.

He lived in Maksymivka village with his wife and two sons. He had a passion for motorcycles and mechanics.

During 2014-2015, Kuzmenko underwent retraining in Rivne before joining the “Kholodnyi Yar 93rd Mechanized Brigade, where he fought as a “Cyborg” defender of the Donetsk Airport. He served as a section commander in the 2nd Heavy Machine Gun Platoon before being discharged in 2016. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion, Kuzmenko was recalled to service as a machine gunner in a military unit.

“He was fair, straightforward, and hardworking. He always helped others,” his son Yaroslav said. Kuzmenko was buried in Ichnia. He is survived by his wife, sons, and grandchildren.

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

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