Battle of Slavutych

Battle of Slavutych
Part of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Date 23–26 March 2022 (3 days) Location Slavutych, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Russia	Ukraine
Casualties and losses
	4 Territorial Defense fighters killed
1 civilian wounded

The battle of Slavutych was a military engagement which took place during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the city of Slavutych, a purpose-built settlement for workers in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. The city came under attack by Russian forces in March 2022, forcing out Ukrainian defenders. The Russians agreed with Ukrainian authorities to not enter the city in return for residents not attacking Russian forces.

Timeline

Initial siege and humanitarian crisis

Due to the siege of Chernihiv by Russian forces, the city of Slavutych was completely isolated from most of Ukraine by late February,^[1] leading to shortages of food and medicine.^[2] The city's electricity supply was disconnected; after Ukrenergo employees repaired damaged electricity lines to reconnect the city, Russian forces damaged them again.^[3]

Russian forces opened fire on a Ukrainian checkpoint near Slavutych on 23 March. Mayor Yuri Fomichev noted that the city was surrounded, and warned residents against trying to leave. He said that Russian forces had not advanced toward the city, but were nearby. The delivery of goods and humanitarian aid remained difficult.^[4] The following day, the shelling of Ukrainian checkpoints in Slavutych continued, with conditions within the besieged city described as a "humanitarian catastrophe". Energoatom warned that Russian forces were attempting to storm the city.^[5] On 25 March, the Slavutych city council forbade residents from moving around the city by foot or by vehicle, due to fears that they would be targeted by Russian snipers.^[6]

End of battle and Russian withdrawal

On 26 March, Russian armed forces entered Slavutych unopposed after driving Ukrainian Territorial Defense Force personnel away from the outlying checkpoints with artillery and direct tank fire. One Ukrainian fighter died at a checkpoint, and three more were killed by snipers while retreating. The city hospital was captured by Russian forces. Reports emerged that Russian troops had abducted the mayor of Slavutych, Yuriy Fomichev; he was ultimately released in time to address a protest rally against the Russian invasion which took place later that day in the city square.^[7] More than 5,000 residents of the city took part in the peaceful protest,^[8] until it was disrupted by Russian troops firing warning shots and launching stun grenades into the crowd, injuring at least one civilian.^[9] Footage of protesters fleeing stun grenades circulated online internationally; the attack on a peaceful protest rally by civilians is a possible war crime.^{[citation needed]}

In an address at the protest rally, the mayor of Slavutych assured Russian forces that there were no military forces or weapons within the city, telling them that they should withdraw as a result.^[10] Subsequently, Russian forces withdrew from the city centre into the city's outer suburbs.^[11]

The mayor of Slavutych agreed to allow Russian forces to search the city for weapons in order for them to agree to withdraw from the city. This process was completed on 27 March, and Russian troops exited Slavutych.^[12] Subsequently, humanitarian corridors were established in order to allow supplies and humanitarian aid to enter the city and give civilians the opportunity to evacuate.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. Ольга Духніч (2022-04-11). "«Чорнобиль вже з них ніколи не вийде». Мер Славутича — про те, що робили загарбники у його місті і на ЧАЕС". The New Voice of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-05-02.
2. Мороз, Александр (14 March 2022). "Славутич повністю ізольований і потребує продуктів харчування, - ОВА". РБК-Україна (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 29 March 2022.
3. "ЧАЕС та Славутич знову без електрики. Окупанти пошкодили відремонтовану лінію". Liga.net (in Ukrainian). 14 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
4. ТИЩЕНКО, КАТЕРИНА (23 March 2022). "Київщина: росіяни обстріляли блокпост у Славутичі, місто заблоковане". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 29 March 2022.
5. "Місто-супутник ЧАЕС. Російські окупанти намагаються штурмувати Славутич". nv.ua (in Ukrainian). 24 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
6. "У Славутичі суворо заборонили цивільним пересуватися містом: яка причина". TSN.ua (in Ukrainian). 25 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
7. БАЛАЧУК, ІРИНА (26 March 2022). "У Славутичі є поранені, але мера окупанти відпустили". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 29 March 2022.
8. РОЩІНА, ОЛЕНА. "Мер окупованого Славутича: Компромісів не було, росіяни поставили одну умову". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). 27 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
9. Орлова, Віолетта (26 March 2022). "Танки РФ ввійшли у Славутич: містяни зібралися на проукраїнські протести". unian.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 29 March 2022.
10. Комісарова, Олександра (26 March 2022). "Окупанти РФ відпустили мера Славутича, він розповів про "домовленості"". PublicNews (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 29 March 2022.
11. "Загарбники вийшли з центру Славутича і стоять на околицях". ukrinform.ua (in Ukrainian). 26 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
12. "Російські окупанти залишили Славутич". Interfax Україна (in Ukrainian). 28 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.