New assault units of the nationalist organization Right Sector arrived in Mariupol from the Lvov Region. They deployed armored vehicles and artillery in residential areas of the city, using the local population as "human shields". Civilian cars are being shot at in the city. There are reports of dozens of civilians killed by nationalists.
Brave Ukrainian soldiers are hiding in the courtyard of the 52nd school in Mariupol
The AFU MLRS was destroyed by the fire of the Russian Armed Forces near Mariupol.
AFU cargo helicopters are sending reinforcements to the city.
In Severodonetsk, a city in the Lugansk region, volunteer nationalist units from Western Ukraine, acting as barrier units, are trying to stop retreating AFU units under threat of being shot by their commanders. On February 27, they shot four AFU officers attempting to lead their soldiers out of the line of fire.
These measures do not stop the retreat of the AFU units. There are periodic exchanges of fire between units of nationalist battalions and Ukrainian AFU units.
Ukraine's military set up rocket launchers in military areas
The AFU military equipments destroyed near Severodonetsk.
© South Front
Local residents are forced to clean the roads, which were mined by retreating Ukrainian units.
On the night of February 28, reports were received from local residents that street battles were taking place in Mariupol. Thus, in Kirov Square, there was a clash between police and an unidentified military unit. There is also fighting near the city center, near 96 Metallurgov Street.
There is street fighting in Kharkov. Russian units are facing strong resistance. Russia continues to refuse to use aviation and artillery on residential areas. For their part, locals report the use of artillery on residential areas by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
On February 27, one of the advance groups of the Russian Armed Forces in Kharkiv, which had advanced into the city on light military vehicles, was destroyed. At least one serviceman of the Russian Armed Forces was taken captive. The Russian command's incomprehensible actions continue in the Kharkiv direction, which are successfully exploited by the defending Ukrainian units. It is premature to speak of the capture of the city or even of partial control by Russia. As of February 28, the defense of the Kharkiv area is an example of the most successful actions of the AFU against the Russian Defense Ministry.
Zaporizhzhya is not yet blockaded - the Russian forces attempting to encircle the AFU grouping in Donetsk have left the city behind their left flank.
Operational battles are taking place near Kiev. No deep breakthroughs by Russian troops have been observed. Meanwhile, they are making some progress on the ground, apparently in order to prepare a further offensive to blockade Kiev from the west. As of the night of February 28, the city was blockaded only from the northwest. Large columns of Russian military vehicles, consisting of more than 100 units, were observed within a 5-kilometer radius of the city.
Forward Russian units are gradually approaching the city from the east, but they still have a dozen of kilometers to go before the city limits. The situation in the city is worsening, with gangs of looters and criminals on the loose, who received weapons handed to them by order of Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Near Nikolaev, the situation has not changed significantly.
A very alarming situation is developing in Odessa. Units of the AFU and nationalist units deployed in the city have begun harassing the city's residents, fearing pro-Russian sentiment. Armed natives of Syria and Albania have appeared in the city, standing on the side of Kiev. Amid rumors circulating about a Russian landing force and introduced curfew, shooting began without warning at civilian vehicles traveling through the city at night.
According to sources in the Russian Defense Ministry, during the first four days of fighting, the Russian army lost a total of 270-300 fighters, including servicemen of the Russian Defense Ministry, the Rosgvardiya and the Interior Ministry, as well as losses of servicemen of the LDPR (most of the LDPR soldiers are also Russian citizens).
At the same time, the source noted that given the scale of the operation, which included four fronts and the involvement of all branches of troops, which Russia had never done before on such a scale, the losses were even less than could have been expected.
The source does not undertake to estimate losses on the Ukrainian side, suggesting that they are several times higher.
Ukrainian soldiers force a wounded Russian serviceman to shout "Glory to Ukraine!" on pain of execution. Despite the threats, he shouted "Glory to Russia, Glory to Ukraine!"
The situation in the international arena is rapidly escalating. The head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrel said that the EU will supply combat aircraft to Ukraine. Most likely, it means the supply of Soviet aircraft from the countries of the former Warsaw Pact. The delivery of thousands of weapons and the blocking of a large part of the Russian banking system were also announced. It is planned to impose restrictions and seizures on the assets of the Russian Central Bank.
Turkey has officially closed the Bosporus and the Dardanelles to Russian and Ukrainian warships.
In its turn, China announced about holding of naval exercises in the South China Sea from February 27 to March 1. Earlier, PRC officials said that "the time for Taiwan to return home" is approaching.
In the second half of February 27, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov to put the Russian army's deterrence forces on special alert. According to him, high-ranking Western officials "make aggressive statements" about Russia.
I’m guessing sooner rather than later. Going to cut China off from SWIFT as well?
Looks like a doozie of a war is around the corner…
Or maybe just the complete collapse of the Empire? Or is that wishful thinking on my part?