Battle of Kyiv (2022)

For other uses, see Battle of Kyiv.

Battle of Kyiv
Part of the Kyiv offensive of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Above: Russian bombardment of the Kyiv TV Tower in Kyiv, 1 March 2022
Date25 February – 2 April 2022
(1 month, 1 week and 1 day)
Location
Kyiv, Ukraine
Result Ukrainian victory[1]
Belligerents
 Russia  Ukraine
Commanders and leaders
Unknown Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi
Ukraine Vitali Klitschko
Units involved

 Russian Armed Forces

National Guard of Russia

PMC Redut[7]

 Armed Forces of Ukraine

National Guard of Ukraine

Special Tasks Patrol Police

Security Service of Ukraine[18]
State Emergency Service of Ukraine[19]

Unofficial irregular units[20][21]
Strength
15,000–30,000 soldiers[22][23]
700+ military vehicles[24]		 Undisclosed regular soldiers
18,000+ irregular forces[25]
Casualties and losses
Unknown, presumed heavy[26][27][28]
Four planes shot down[5][29]		 162 soldiers killed, 748 wounded (Ukrainian claim)[30]
1 Sukhoi Su-27 fighter aircraft shot down[31]
89 civilians killed[32]
~2 million civilians evacuated[33]

The battle of Kyiv was part of the Kyiv offensive in the Russian invasion of Ukraine for control of Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine, and surrounding districts including Hostomel Airport. The combatants were elements of the Russian Armed Forces and Ukrainian Armed Forces. The battle lasted from 25 February 2022 to 2 April 2022 and ended with the withdrawal of Russian forces.

Initially, Russian forces captured key areas to the north and west of Kyiv, leading to international prediction of the city's imminent fall. However, stiff Ukrainian resistance sapped Russian momentum. Poor Russian logistics and tactical decisions helped the defenders to thwart efforts at encirclement, and, after a month of protracted fighting, Ukrainian forces began counterattacking.

Following the successful Ukrainian counterattacks in late March, Russia began withdrawing its forces from the Kyiv area on 29 March. Four days later, the Ukrainian authorities declared that Kyiv and the surrounding Kyiv Oblast were again under Ukrainian control.

  1. ^ Dickinson, Peter (29 March 2022). "Russia in retreat: Putin appears to admit defeat in the Battle for Kyiv". Atlantic Council. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022."Russia forced into humiliating retreat from Ukraine airport key to their battle plans". The Telegraph. 31 March 2022. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022."Russia 'failed to take Kyiv', Ukraine's capital was 'key objective', Pentagon says". The Independent. 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022."Russia has effectively admitted defeat In Ukraine". Al Jazeera. 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 30 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022."Russia in Broad Retreat From Kyiv, Seeking to Regroup From Battering". The New York Times. 2 March 2022. Archived from the original on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022."In villages near Kyiv, how Ukraine has kept Russia's army at bay". Reuters. 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  2. ^ "The paratroopers defeated a detachment of the 37th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade of Russia". Ukraine Defense website. 15 March 2022. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, February 28, 2022". Critical Threats. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Russia-Ukraine Warning Update: Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, February 26". Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference RUSukhoi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Gogarty, Conor (12 March 2022). "Russian commanders killed in Ukraine including 'brutal warlord'". WalesOnline. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022. General Magomed Tushaev died when his Chechen special forces column, including 56 tanks, was obliterated near Hostomel.
  7. ^ "Vladimir Osechkin about PMC Wagner and PMC Redut". The Odessa Journal. 28 October 2022. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Defending Kyiv: 'I'm 100 percent sure the Russians won't get through'". France 24. 18 March 2022. Archived from the original on 18 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  9. ^ Karmanau, Yuras; Heintz, Jim; Isachenkov, Vladimir; LaPorta, James (26 February 2022). "Russians Push Toward Ukraine's Capital as Residents Take Cover". Time. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  10. ^ Krikunenko, Iryna (7 April 2022). "Брат по зброї. Командир чеченських добровольців, який воює за Україну, розповідає про свої три війни з Росією". NV (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 8 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Chechen, Tatar Muslims fight for Ukraine – DW – 03/24/2022". dw.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  12. ^ Hesel, Phil (26 February 2022). "Russian attacks repulsed in cities, regions, leaders say". NBC News. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  13. ^ "The fighters who took over a retail store to defend Kyiv". The Japan Times. 31 March 2022. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  14. ^ "Foreign fighters now on battlefield helping battle Russia: Ukraine". Military Times. 7 March 2022. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  15. ^ На війні загинув воїн з Решетилівської громади. 29.03.2022, 16:20 Archived 31 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ "Azov Battalion: 'We are patriots – we're fighting the real Nazis of the 21st century'". Military Times. 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  17. ^ Про участь поліцейських у наступальних операціях та про про міни-пастки які позалишали окупанти
  18. ^ "The Battle for Kyiv Looms as a Long and Bloody Conflict". The New York Times. 19 March 2022. Archived from the original on 19 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  19. ^ "Russia keeps up attacks in Ukraine as two sides hold talks". Military Times. 14 March 2022. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  20. ^ Ramsey, Stuart (26 February 2022). "Ukraine invasion: Many of the country's defence forces are young, inexperienced, and mystified by events". Sky News. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  21. ^ Marson, James (20 September 2022). "The Ragtag Army That Won the Battle of Kyiv and Saved Ukraine". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  22. ^ "What we know about 64km-long Russian convoy headed for Kyiv". 9News. 2 March 2022. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  23. ^ "Russia has enough troops ready to take Kyiv, says former Ukraine defence chief". The Guardian. 2 March 2022. Archived from the original on 18 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  24. ^ "Military briefing: Ukraine uses guerrilla counter-attacks to take fight to Russia". Financial Times. 1 April 2022. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  25. ^ Cite error: The named reference guns was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  26. ^ The heavy losses of an elite Russian regiment in Ukraine, BBC, 2 April 2022, archived from the original on 3 April 2022, retrieved 11 April 2022
  27. ^ Cite error: The named reference RUcas was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  28. ^ "Kyiv Mayor Says 31 Dead In Capital From Russian Attacks, As Two Sides Agree To Hold Talks". Radio Liberty. 27 February 2022. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  29. ^ Cite error: The named reference twoRUplanes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  30. ^ "Since start of Russian invasion, 222 people died in Kyiv, of which 60 civilians, incl four children – Kyiv City State Administration". Interfax-Ukraine. Archived from the original on 18 March 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  31. ^ Cite error: The named reference Feb25UkrainePlane was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  32. ^ "Eighty-nine residents killed, 167 residential buildings damaged in Kyiv during war – Kyiv City Administration". Interfax-Ukraine. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  33. ^ "Half of Kyiv population has fled, says Ukrainian capital's mayor". Al Jazeera. 9 March 2022. Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.