Victory Chronicles-DAY 761

Russia launched another missile attack on Kyiv, resulting in a series of explosions and at least seven people wounded. The attack occurred on March 25, as air raid sirens sounded in the capital and four loud explosions were heard. Smoke was seen rising from the city’s left bank. 

The Kyiv military administration urged residents to take shelter immediately. Debris from the intercepted missile fell in the Pechersk and Solomianskyi districts, damaging both non-residential and residential buildings. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that emergency services had been called to several districts. Seven people, including a 16-year-old girl, were injured. Fragments of the intercepted missile were found in the Holosiivskyi district. 

The US Ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, expressed concern about Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine and called for international assistance. 

The Air Force Commander, Mykola Oleshchuk, revealed that Russia launched two ballistic missiles from occupied Crimea, both of which were intercepted by air defense systems.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that Russia launched a significant number of missiles, drones, and air bombs at Ukraine, with approximately 190 missiles, 140 Shahid drones, and 700 air bombs fired over the past week. Following a large-scale attack on energy infrastructure on March 22, restoration efforts are underway. While some Oblasts have restored electricity for citizens, around 200,000 homes in Kharkiv city and one district of Kharkiv Oblast still lack a stable power supply. Among the targeted facilities were more than 130 energy infrastructure sites, including critical damage to the Dnipro hydroelectric power plant, Ukraine’s largest hydroelectric power plant. 

Ten pilots from Ukraine have completed basic flight, ground, and language training in the UK and are now moving on to advanced flight training provided by the French Air Force before learning to fly F-16s. This effort is part of the UK’s contribution to the Air Power Coalition, which aims to build a modern air force for Ukraine. The UK has been actively supporting Ukraine’s air capabilities, providing additional equipment, and is the first country to offer long-range cruise missiles. This training program is a step forward in developing Ukraine’s air force and will enhance its capabilities against Putin’s forces. 

The 1129th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment of Bila Tserkva released a video of the combat work of the Stormer SAM unit, which shows coordinated actions to destroy a Russian air target.

Russian forces conducted a series of drone and missile strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure on the night of February 23 to 24, mainly targeting southern and western Ukraine. The Ukrainian Air Force reported on March 24 that Russian forces launched 29 Kh-101/Kh-555 missiles from Tu-95MS strategic aircraft and 28 Shahed-136/131 drones from Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai and occupied Cape Chauda, Crimea.

Ukrainian air defenses reportedly downed 18 Kh-101/555 missiles and 25 Shahed drones over Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kyiv, Volyn, and Lviv oblasts. Ukrainian Southern Operational Command Spokesperson Colonel Nataliya Humenyuk stated that Russian forces launched two waves of Shahed drones and that Russian drone strikes primarily targeted port infrastructure along the Danube River, a branch whose delta forms the Ukraine-Romania border, and energy facilities in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Ukrainian Southern Operational Command reported that Russian forces struck Mykolaiv Oblast with unspecified cruise and ballistic missiles on the evening of March 23 and the night of March 23 to 24. Lviv Oblast officials reported that Russian forces struck a critical infrastructure facility with two Kinzhal missiles on the morning of March 24, and Ukrainian state-owned oil and gas company Naftogaz Chairperson Oleksiy Chernyshov stated that Russian forces struck an underground gas storage facility and damaged technical equipment in Lviv oblast.

Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces also struck Myrnohrad, Donetsk Oblast with four S-300 missiles. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian strikes damaged infrastructure in western Ukraine, residential buildings in Myrnohrad, Donetsk Oblast, and energy infrastructure in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Kharkiv City.  Polish Operational Command reported that a Russian cruise missile violated Polish air space on the morning of March 24 for 39 seconds before presumably returning into Ukrainian airspace.

Senior fighter Serhii Kriuchko, with the call sign Kriuk [“Hook”], died during a combat mission on June 14, 2023, near the village of Zaliznianske, Bakhmut district, Donetsk Oblast. The fighter was 28 years old.

Serhii was from the village of Bilka, Sumy Oblast. He graduated from the Trostianets Vocational School №25 and received a degree in agricultural production as a driver-tractor driver. He worked at the railroad in Trostianets. Before the invasion, he was a driver at Europa-Trans-Agro. He was fond of hunting and fishing.

During the full-scale war, the man fought for his homeland in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served as a rifleman in the rifle company of the 30th separate mechanized brigade named after Prince Kostiantyn Ostrozkyi.

“The best husband, the best father, son, brother. A very good person who will come to the aid of even strangers at any time. Responsible, sociable, always defending the truth, honor and freedom. He is forever in our hearts,” said Liudmyla, the wife of the fallen defender.

Posthumously, Kriuchko Serhii Hennadiiovych was awarded the Order “For Courage” of the III degree. The Hero was buried in his native village. He is survived by his mother, sister, wife and daughter.

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

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