The battle for Kyiv could decide the war: Both sides are preparing in Ukraine. Russia’s armed forces are getting closer to the capital.
Update from Thursday, March 10th, 2022, 8:00 a.m.: The Russian army continued the “offensive operation” to encircle the capital Kiev on Thursday night. The Ukrainian general staff reported this in the situation report in the morning. The Russian armed forces are now just outside the capital. On Wednesday evening, for example, they reached the city of Brovary, which is around 20 kilometers away. This is the result of information provided by reporters from the AFP news agency. Contrary to numerous reports that a Russian military convoy en route to Kyiv has been paralyzed in recent days, the situation has deteriorated significantly. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian armed forces continue to prepare for heavy fighting in Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyj* again emphasized in a video message on Wednesday that he would stay in the capital and resist.
First report from Wednesday, March 9th, 2022, 3:30 p.m.: Kiev – The Ukrainian capital Kiev* has been the most strategically important hub since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict* at the end of February. Russia * is steadily increasing the troop presence, an approaching military convoy is making progress – after problems in the meantime. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army is gathering to defend Kyiv.
Both warring parties rely on foreign armed forces in addition to domestic ones. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba recently stated that around 20,000 foreign volunteers had entered the country to join the Ukrainian armed forces. Russia, on the other hand, is recruiting soldiers from Syria. The US Department of Defense recently warned of this. Part of it are apparently mercenaries of the “Group Wagner”. This was reported by the Washington Post and the New York Times, among others.
Ukraine War: “Group Wagner” collaborates with Chechen mercenaries
This is a private group, named after the codename of its commander, Dmitry Utkins. Former soldier Utkin worked for the Russian intelligence service until 2013. He then founded privately organized security companies, which fought for Syria’s dictator al-Assad, among other things.* Recently, it was also heard from Burkina Faso, where there was a military coup, that the new rulers are maintaining contact with the Russian mercenary group.*
According to information from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine*, the “Wagner Group” is scheduled to arrive near Kyiv on Wednesday (03/09/2022). A storm on the capital is being prepared, according to the document available to the Focus Online news portal. Accordingly, an alliance with a Chechen elite unit, which recently carried out assassination attempts on the Ukrainian President Selenskyj, is planned.
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