Summary
Highlights
The Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2014, escalating significantly in 2022. The Battle of Kyiv is identified as a defining moment in the war, where Ukraine, despite being outmatched, prepared to defend its capital against Russian objectives. The video will focus on the Battle of Kyiv, while other significant battles will be covered in future videos.
On February 24, Vladimir Putin declared a 'Special Military Operation,' leading to Russian attacks from multiple directions, including the north toward Kyiv. Russia's initial massive airstrike campaign aimed to cripple Ukrainian defenses. However, Ukraine had preemptively relocated much of its military equipment, reducing the strike's effectiveness. Russia underestimated Ukrainian resistance and expected a quick victory, but President Zelenskyy's defiance and public mobilization, coupled with Kyiv's difficult terrain and muddy conditions, hindered Russian advance. Kyiv's defense was organized into two rings, with commanders assigned to each sector.
Russian forces from the 35th, 36th, and 41st Combined Arms Armies advanced towards Kyiv from Chornobyl, Chernihiv, and Sumy. Ukrainian forces, though outnumbered, used decentralized command and Starlink satellite communications to counter Russian electronic warfare. Russian units, particularly vanguard elements aiming for Hostomel Airport, were vulnerable to hit-and-run attacks with Javelin and NLAW missiles due to their parade-like formations and exposed supply lines. Notable engagements occurred near Ivankiv and Dymer, where Ukrainian forces delayed the Russian advance.
Russian Spetsnaz and other operatives entered Kyiv, some using abandoned Ukrainian vehicles. Their mission was to eliminate President Zelenskyy and create chaos, with some agents reportedly having entered before the war. However, Zelenskyy's refusal to leave and the arming of citizens with Molotov cocktails galvanized Ukrainian resistance. While there were isolated incidents inside Kyiv, the sabotage efforts ultimately failed, and the situation never became overwhelmingly threatening within the city.
Russia deployed elite paratroopers to Antonov Airport in Hostomel, aiming to secure it as a logistics hub for the Kyiv offensive. The airport was defended by the Ukrainian 4th Rapid Response Brigade. Despite being initially overwhelmed, Ukrainian defenders downed three Russian helicopters, boosting morale. After running out of ammo, the Ukrainian unit retreated, allowing Ukrainian artillery and air force to pound the runway, making it unusable. Ukrainian forces later counter-attacked to retake the airport, forcing Russian paratroopers to withdraw to surrounding woods.
Conflicting reports exist on a Russian attempt to capture Vasylkiv airport. While claims of shot-down planes lack conclusive evidence, a ground assault by Russian Spetsnaz was repelled by Ukrainian forces on February 26. The towns of Hostomel, Bucha, and Irpin formed Kyiv's outer defense ring, crucial for preventing urban warfare in the capital. Ukrainian command understood that allowing Russians into Kyiv would lead to its destruction, as seen in other cities. Therefore, defenders were ordered to hold their ground.
Battles for Hostomel, Bucha, and Irpin began in late February. Russian forces, including various elite units and Chechen battalions, faced organized Ukrainian resistance from mechanized brigades, territorial defense, and special forces. In Irpin, a major Russian armored column was ambushed and decimated by Ukrainian paratroopers using RPGs, Javelins, and NLAWs, employing tactics to disable vehicles at the front and rear of columns. This tactic proved highly effective on narrow roads. Despite initial setbacks, Russia continued attempts to take Irpin, leading to heavy losses and a humanitarian crisis. By mid-March, Russia controlled only half of Irpin, unable to dislodge Ukrainian forces. Similarly, in Bucha, after initial back-and-forth, Russians gained control by March 5, eventually capturing it by March 12, amidst severe humanitarian conditions. Hostomel was fully captured by Russia on March 5, despite significant Ukrainian resistance and the death of a Russian general. Ukrainian counter-offensives and the deployment of the 80th Air Assault Brigade helped stabilize the situation.
The town of Moshchun, immediately north of Kyiv, proved to be a critical battlefield. Despite an initial Russian special forces presence, the blown bridge between Hostomel and Moshchun, and continuous Ukrainian targeting of pontoon bridges, hindered Russian troop deployment. On March 6, a large Russian group entered Moshchun, creating a bridgehead. Ukrainian special forces blew a dam in Dymer on March 8, flooding the Irpin River and making it extremely difficult for Russian reinforcements to cross. Despite heavy Russian artillery and air superiority, Ukrainian defenders, aided by local intelligence, repelled a Russian attack towards Horenka and Pushcha-Vodytsa, preventing an invasion of Kyiv from the north. General Syrsky's unwavering order to hold Moshchun, despite heavy losses, was crucial to saving Kyiv.
Makariv, west of Kyiv, was another critical battlefield, securing supply routes from the West. Heavy fighting in late February and March saw Ukrainian forces repelling Russian advances. On the Chernihiv and Sumy axes, Russian forces tried to bypass cities to advance on Kyiv, overextending their supply lines. A key battle in Lukashivka inflicted heavy losses on Russian forces. In Brovary, a Ukrainian ambush decimated a Russian armored column, leading to significant Russian losses of tanks and personnel. These failures, coupled with unsustainable losses, forced Russia to withdraw from Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy oblasts in late March-early April, leaving behind destruction, including the Bucha massacre.
The Battle of Kyiv ended in a Ukrainian victory, defying expectations of a rapid fall. Key factors included Russia's underestimation of Ukrainian resolve and military capabilities, their flawed logistics, and overextended supply lines. Ukrainian forces effectively used hit-and-run tactics, anti-tank missiles, and artillery to target Russian armored columns. The initial Russian air campaign failed to achieve complete air dominance due to relocated Ukrainian assets. Russian military branches demonstrated poor coordination. Ukraine's defense strategy of 'trading space for time' by bogging down Russians in urban warfare and the high morale of Ukrainian defenders were crucial. These factors forced the Russian withdrawal, saving Ukrainian statehood and setting the stage for future Ukrainian successes. The Battle of Kyiv stands as a significant upset in military history.