Northern Ukraine Offensive

The Northern Ukraine campaign was a theater of operation in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It involved attacks by Russia across the Russo-Ukrainian and Belarusian–Ukrainian borders, beginning on 24 February 2022, for control of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and the surrounding areas of Kyiv Oblast and northern regions Zhytomyr Oblast, Sumy Oblast, and Chernihiv Oblast. Kyiv is the seat of the Ukrainian government and the headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Russian forces initially captured several towns and cities, but logistical and supply failures, stiff Ukrainian resistance, and subsequent poor morale caused the advance to stall. With heavy losses and the inability to make further progress, Russia withdrew its forces from Kyiv and Zhytomyr oblasts in April 2022, and Ukrainian forces retook control.

Campaign

Russian advance on Kyiv

On the morning of 24 February 2022, Russia initiated attacks on Kyiv Oblast with artillery and missile strikes on several primary targets, including Boryspil International Airport, Kyiv's primary airport. Russia apparently intended to rapidly seize Kyiv, with Spetsnaz infiltrating the city, supported by airborne operations and a rapid mechanised advance from the north. Russian Airborne Forces attempted to seize two key airfields near Kyiv, launching an airborne assault on Antonov Airport, followed by a similar landing at Vasylkiv, near Vasylkiv Air Base south of Kyiv, on 26 February.

The attacks were unsuccessful due to several factors, including the disparity in morale and performance between Ukrainian and Russian forces, the Ukrainian use of sophisticated man-portable weapons provided by Western allies, poor Russian logistics and equipment performance, the failure of the Russian Air Force to achieve air superiority, and Russian military attrition during their siege of major cities. As Russian forces advanced towards Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that " subversive groups" were approaching the city.
The Ukrainians also claimed that at the beginning of the invasion, just 30 SOF soldiers managed to halt the Russian attack. The Ukrainians ambushed the Russian convoy, guarded by some 2,000 troops, and destroyed three lead vehicles, attacked the rest of the convoy, destroying the bridges in the process. This engagement ended up temporarily stalling the entire Russian advance from Belarus, which consisted of 70,000 soldiers and 7,000 vehicles.

Wagner Group mercenaries and Chechen forces reportedly made several attempts to assassinate Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian government said these efforts were thwarted by anti-war officials in Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), who shared intelligence of the plans.

Russian forces trying to capture Kyiv sent a probative spearhead on 24 February south from Belarus along the west bank of the Dnipro River, apparently to encircle the city from the west, but it pulled back by 7 April to resupply and redeploy to the southeastern front. It was supported by two separate axes of attack from Russia along the east bank of the Dnipro: the western at Chernihiv, and the eastern at Sumy. These were likely intended to encircle Kyiv from the northeast and east.

The attack force reached the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and captured the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and the ghost city of Pripyat. Following their breakthrough at Chernobyl, Russian forces were held at Ivankiv, a key town between the border and Kyiv. United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin revealed that some Russian mechanized infantry units had advanced to within of Kyiv on the first day of the offensive.

The Russian advance was greatly hindered by logistical difficulties, partially caused by the Belarusian opposition, as dissident railway workers, hackers and security forces disrupted railway lines in Belarus. This operation, known as the 2022 rail war in Belarus, was mainly organized by individuals and three larger networks known as "Bypol", the "Community of Railway Workers", and the "Cyber Partisans".

Operations in other northern regions

A separate Russian advance into Sumy Oblast on 24 February attacked the city of Sumy, just from the Russo-Ukrainian border. The Russian advance bogged down in urban fighting, and Ukrainian forces successfully held the city. According to Ukrainian sources, more than 100 Russian armoured vehicles were destroyed and dozens of soldiers were captured. Russian forces also attacked Okhtyrka, deploying thermobaric weapons.

While the battle of Sumy raged, Russian forces moved west along highways from Sumy, reaching Brovary, an eastern suburb of Kyiv, on 4 March. In an assessment of the campaign on 4 March, Frederick Kagan wrote that the " Sumy axis is currently the most successful and dangerous Russian avenue of advance on Kyiv." He noted that the geography favored mechanized advances as the terrain "is flat and sparsely populated, offering few good defensive positions." According to the Institute for the Study of War, since Russian forces failed to secure any new territory in the theater after 8 March, it is possible that they redeployed forces from eastern Kyiv to defend against Ukrainian counterattacks in Sumy Oblast.

Throughout the battle at Kyiv Oblast, the Zhytomyr Oblast was also affected. Russian forces operating nearby Kyiv had advanced some into the oblast towards and Ovruch as of 3 March. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces claimed that two Russian BTGs were within the territory of Zhytomyr Oblast.

Near Chernihiv, Russian forces struck Pivka airfield. There were tank battles on the outskirts of Chernihiv and near Baturin.

At 01:39 on 25 February, Russian forces reportedly retreated from the city of Sumy, while Ukraine lost control of the city of Konotop the following day; the oblast's second largest city, from the Russian border, was attacked and captured by Russian forces. Russian forces also entered Chuhuiv. By the second day, Russian forces were present in or near Snovsk, Sosnytsia, Mena, Semenivka, Horodnia, Koryukivka and Novhorod-Siverskyi. BM-27 Uragan missiles hit a school in Okhtyrka, killing a guard and injuring an unknown number of children and a teacher. However, Ukrainian forces put up heavy resistance, forcing the Russians to retreat.

On 26 February, clashes occurred in Sumy between Russian forces and Territorial Defense Forces throughout the day. Russian forces reportedly managed to capture half of the city during the day, but Ukrainian forces repelled the attackers according to a Ukrainian official. Three civilians were reportedly killed in shelling on Sumy. Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, the governor of Sumy Oblast, stated that six civilians were killed and 55 wounded in Russian shelling on Okhtyrka. Russian forces west of Sumy reportedly advanced further westwards by the night, and were apparently from Kyiv.

Also on 27 February, a number of Russian vehicles advanced into Sumy from the east, while two women were reportedly killed around the Sumy Airport. On 28 February, Russian forces bombed and destroyed an oil depot in Okhtyrka. More than 70 Ukrainian soldiers were killed when their base in Okhtyrka was struck by a thermobaric bomb.

On 1 March, Russian forces captured Trostianets, who entered the city at 01:03, reportedly destroying the gate to the Round Yard and an art gallery. The same day, the governor of Chernihiv Oblast, Vyacheslav Chaus, stated that every access point to the city of Chernihiv was heavily mined, urging civilians to exercise caution. On 2 March, authorities in the city of Konotop in Sumy Oblast negotiated with Russian forces after the mayor stated that Russians had warned him not to resist them or they would destroy the city. An agreement was reached under which Russian forces accepted not to intrude in the city's functioning or deploy troops in return for the residents not attacking them. The territorial council of the in Chernihiv Oblast claimed that nearly 200 Russian soldiers were killed in clashes with Ukrainian armed forces and the Territorial Defense Forces in the village of Kruty on 2 March.

On 3 March, five people were reportedly injured from shelling on buildings of the 27th Artillery Brigade and the military department at Sumy State University. The first evacuation of civilians under an agreement between Ukraine and Russia took place during the day of 8 March, with residents evacuating from Sumy.

On 10 March, Chernihiv Mayor Vladyslav Atroshenko said that Russian forces had completed the encirclement of Chernihiv, adding that the city was completely isolated and critical infrastructure for its 300,000 residents was rapidly failing as it came under repeated bombardment.

Antonov Airport occupied

At 8:00 a.m. local time on 24 February 2022, 20 to 34 Russian military helicopters (Mil Mi-8 transport helicopters escorted by Ka-52 "Alligator" attack helicopters) flew south from the Belarus–Ukraine border and approached the town of Hostomel. The helicopter group reportedly carried around 300 VDV airborne troops, purportedly from the 11th Guards Air Assault Brigade or 31st Guards Air Assault Brigade for an assault on Antonov Airport nearby.

The assault was an attempt to secure the site as an airbridge for Russian transport troops and heavy equipment (such as artillery and tanks) for an invasion on Kyiv proper. The helicopter group was met by attacks from Ukrainian small arms and MANPADS. The attack eventually downed one to three helicopters, with their pilots ejecting. Despite the attacks, the airport was swiftly captured due to minimal defense by members of the National Guard.

After the capture of the airport, Russian troops began to prepare for the arrival of 18 Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft with reinforcements for the assault. However, local militias and troops from the 3rd Special Purpose Regiment attacked the airport, hampering Russian efforts. The Ukrainian 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade, in a decisive counterattack, prevented the transport aircraft from landing at the airport, forcing it to return to Russia, and preventing further reinforcements. With air support from the Ukrainian Air Force, Ukrainian units managed to repel the airborne assault. Russian forces also attempted landings at the Kyiv Cistern.

A renewed airborne assault was launched a day after the initial attack. With Russian mechanized units achieving breakthroughs at nearby Ivankiv, they were able to advance and capture the airport after a combined ground-based assault. Despite their success, the airport was deemed inoperable, ending chances for a swift Ukrainian capitulation via the capture of Kyiv. During the clash at Antonov Airport, the only existing Antonov An-225 Mriya (the world's largest operational aircraft) was destroyed in its storage hangar. The Russian government claimed nearly 200 Ukrainian deaths in the assault with no losses of its own.

Fall of Ivankiv and Dymer

Following the victory at Chernobyl, the Russian invading force approached the town of Ivankiv, south of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. To halt the convoy, Ukrainian soldiers demolished a bridge over the Teteriv River, stopping the advance of the Russian column. Ukrainian airborne assault troops then engaged Russian units at Ivankiv and neighboring Dymer. Some Russian units were able to penetrate the Ukrainian defense at Ivankiv and reinforce other units at Antonov Airport, leading to its capture. During the fighting, the town was shelled, generating civilian casualties. The next day, a large Russian convoy was seen on satellite imagery heading toward the town. The Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum was destroyed on 27 February, causing significant losses in its collection, notably the destruction of over 20 artworks by Maria Prymachenko. The Russian capture of Ivankiv was confirmed on 2 March.

Hostomel attacked

After securing a breakthrough at Ivankiv on 25 February, troops from the 41st Combined Arms Army, 31st Guards Air Assault Brigade, and the Chechen 141st Motorized Regiment advanced to the nearby town of Hostomel on the same day. Hostomel was defended by elements of the 79th Air Assault Brigade, 3rd Spetsnaz Regiment, and the 3rd Special Purpose Regiment, along with civilian militias. Members of the Chechen 141st Regiment approached the town and began preparations for the assassination of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

After Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles discovered Russian positions near Hostomel, Ukrainian forces regrouped and launched a counterattack which destroyed a Russian armored column. After the counterattack, Hostomel was subjected to airstrikes and shelling, depriving residents of basic utilities. Russian forces persisted in urban combat with Ukrainian soldiers, and were eventually repulsed from the town's vicinity on 3 March. They invaded Hostomel once more on 4 March, suffering a retreat on the same day, before mounting another assault and recapturing the town on 5 March.

Both sides suffered heavy losses during the battle: Russian forces lost over 21 light infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) in two days; Ukrainian intelligence claimed the 31st Guards recorded over 50 deaths. Several commanders were also killed in action: Major general Magomed Tushayev (commander of the Chechen 141st Regiment) was killed on 26 February (claim disputed), while Major general Andrei Sukhovetsky (deputy commander of the Russian 41st Army) was killed by a Ukrainian sniper on 28 February.

Major Valeriy Chybineyev (sniper commander of the Ukrainian 79th Brigade) was killed near Antonov Airport on 3 March. After Hostomel's occupation, Ukrainian officials accused Russian units of preventing the evacuation of local civilians. Russian soldiers were reported spreading misinformation to residents about the state of war. On 7 March, Yuri Prilipko, the mayor of Hostomel, was killed by Russian troops.

Ukrainian victory at Vasylkiv

On 26 February, Russian paratroopers began an assault on Vasylkiv, south of Kyiv, to capture a military airbase nearby. Ukrainian fighters shot down two Russian Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft that were attempting to land paratroopers for the assault. US officials later stated on 26 April that American intelligence data, shared with Ukrainian forces in real-time, assisted with the downing of the Il-76.

Despite fierce anti-aircraft resistance, a large group of Russian paratrooper units was able to land near Vasylkiv. The units then advanced to the city and were involved in heavy fighting with the Ukrainian 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, but were later repulsed. The victory was later proclaimed by the city mayor, , who claimed over 200 Ukrainian injuries during the fight. Following the conclusion of the battle, Ukrainian forces patrolled the city in search of Russian stragglers.

Battle of Kyiv

On 25 February, Russian fighter aircraft began bombarding central Kyiv. A Ukrainian Su-27 was then shot down. Russian saboteurs dressed as Ukrainian soldiers attempted to infiltrate Obolon, a suburb north of central Kyiv, just from the Verkhovna Rada building (the seat of the Ukrainian parliament), but were all captured or killed by Ukrainian troops. Army reserves were then activated to defend Kyiv. Gunfire, described by Ukrainian officials as clashes between Ukrainian and Russian troops, was heard in several wards of the city. Zelenskyy urged residents to engage in urban guerrilla warfare with Molotov cocktails against Russian forces. Guns were distributed to civilian militias. The Ukrainian government imposed a curfew on the city the next morning. Ukrainian forces claimed to have killed around 60 Russian saboteurs in a single day.

Simultaneously with the failed assault on Vasylkiv, Russian units began bombarding Kyiv on 26 February with artillery and organized attacks to capture the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant with muddled outcome. Ukrainian forces regrouped and struck a counter-offensive on the power plant the next day, repulsing Russian forces from the site. A separate attack on an army base in the city ended in failure. Russian forces were reported to be from central-Kyiv.

Russian airstrikes were made on Vasylkiv and Kyiv on 27 February, including one on a radioactive waste disposal site near Kyiv, albeit the site was unharmed. Another Russian attack group began approaching Kyiv from the northeast after bypassing the city of Chernihiv. Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, told the Associated Press that Kyiv had been "completely encircled". However, his remarks were retracted shortly after. Missile attacks were reported at Brovary on 28 February, but Kyiv was relatively free from direct combat.

Ukrainian forces claimed the destruction of a Russian column in Makariv. Fighting here had erupted one day earlier. Russian strikes continued in early-March. The Kyiv TV Tower was hit on 1 March. Strikes were later reported at Rusanivka, Kurenivka, Boyarka, Vyshneve, Vorzel and Markhalivka. while Borodianka was extensively bombed, killing hundreds. The Ukrainian Air Force claimed it had downed two Russian Sukhoi Su-35 over Kyiv on 2 March. Makariv was recaptured on 3 March. Ukrainian reports from Kyiv believed the Russian army had begun to surround the city with tanks from Belarus, in an attempt to enforce a blockade.

Estonian intelligence estimated that the advancing Russian convoy would arrive at Kyiv in at least two days. On 4 March, an armored Russian column from the Sumy Oblast reportedly reached near Brovary. Clashes remained throughout the Kyiv Oblast by 8 March. Russian forces advanced on the highway between Zhytomyr and Kyiv, threatening Fastiv. Russian tanks reached within a few kilometres from Kyiv on 9 March, but were attacked by Ukrainian forces during the night.

On 10 March, Ukrainian forces claimed that the Azov Special Operations Detachment and the 72nd Mechanized Brigade ambushed the 6th and 239th Tank Regiments of the 90th Guards Tank Division in Brovary, inflicting heavy losses, including killing the 6th Tank Regiment's commander, Colonel Andrei Zakharo, forcing them to retreat.

Fighting at Bucha and Irpin

On 25 February, due a lack of communications with the main invasion command, a convoy of special police units OMON and SOBR from the Kemerovo Oblast accidentally separated from the invasion forces and ended up charging and spearheading the attack at Kyiv by themselves. The convoy was spotted by local transit CCTV cameras and were ambushed by local Ukrainian forces using anti-tank missiles and mortars at a bridge over the Irpin River