Rocket event in Kharkiv, Zelene area, Ukraine on Sat 16th March 2024

Two Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups made attempts to enter Sumy Oblast, Ukraine, on Saturday, 16 March, but were stopped by Ukraine's Defence Forces. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 18:00 on 16 March Details: Over the course of the day, Ukrainian troops clashed with Russian forces 50 times. The Russians carried out 1 missile strike and 43 airstrikes. They also deployed multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) 58 times to attack the positions of Ukrainian troops and civilian settlements. There were no significant changes on the Volyn and Polissia fronts. On the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts, Ukrainian forces prevented two Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups from entering Ukraine in the vicinity of Stara Huta and Brusky (Sumy Oblast). Russian forces carried out airstrikes in the vicinity of Velyka Pysarivka, Stara Huta, Ryzhivka, Popivka, Yamne, Oleksandrivka and Luhivka (Sumy Oblast). Over 30 Ukrainian civilian settlements came under Russian mortar and artillery fire, including Kliusy, Yeline, Leonivka and Hremiach (Chernihiv Oblast); Ryzhivka, Rozhkovychi, Stepanivka, Sosnivka and Popivka (Sumy Oblast); and Kozacha Lopan, Lukiantsi, Zelene, Starytsia and Hatyshche (Kharkiv Oblast). Russian forces did not undertake assault operations on the Kupiansk front, but they deployed mortars and artillery to attack more than 10 settlements, including Synkivka, Ivanivka and Berestove (Kharkiv Oblast). Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian assault in the vicinity of Bilohorivka (Luhansk Oblast) on the Lyman front. Russian aircraft struck areas in the vicinity of Novoyehorivka (Luhansk Oblast) and Spirne, Vesele and Rozdolivka (Donetsk Oblast). Russian forces deployed mortars and artillery to attack more than 20 civilian settlements, including Bilohorivka (Luhansk Oblast) and Terny, Yampolivka, Torske, Serebrianka and Spirne (Donetsk Oblast). On the Bakhmut front, Ukrainian forces repelled 4 Russian assaults near Ivanivske and Klishchiivka and to the east of Chasiv Yar (Donetsk Oblast). Russian forces carried out airstrikes in the vicinity of Chasiv Yar and Druzhba (Donetsk Oblast). Around 10 civilian settlements, including Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske and New-York (Donetsk Oblast), came under Russian mortar and artillery fire. Ukrainian forces also repelled over 10 Russian assaults near Berdychi, Tonenke, Pervomaiske and Nevelske (Donetsk Oblast) on the Avdiivka front. Russian forces also deployed artillery and mortars to attack around 20 civilian settlements, including Novobakhmutivka, Umanske, Netailove and Pervomaiske (Donetsk Oblast). On the Novopavlivka front, Ukraine’s Defence Forces are continuing to hold the Russians back near Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk Oblast), where aircraft-supported Russian forces made 19 attempts to break through the Ukrainian defences. Russian aircraft struck areas in the vicinity of Krasnohorivka and Kostiantynivka (Donetsk Oblast). Around 20 civilian settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Kostiantynivka, Vuhledar and Prechystivka (Donetsk Oblast), came under Russian mortar and artillery fire. On the Orikhiv front, Russian forces assaulted Ukrainian positions near Robotyne and to the northwest of Verbove 4 times. Around 15 civilian settlements, including Poltavka, Charivne, Robotyne and Mala Tokmachka (Zaporizhzhia Oblast), came under Russian artillery and mortar fire. On the Kherson front, Russian forces twice assaulted the positions of Ukrainian forces on Dnipro’s left (eastern) bank. More than 10 civilian settlements, including Ochakiv (Mykolaiv Oblast) and Krynky, Tiahynka, Ivanivka, Berehove and Kherson (Kherson Oblast), came under Russian artillery and mortar fire. Over the course of 16 March, Ukrainian aircraft carried out airstrikes on 4 clusters of Russian military personnel, weapons and equipment. Units of Ukrainian Rocket Forces and Artillery struck a Russian command post, 2 clusters of Russian military personnel, weapons and equipment, and 1 air defence system.