Battle of Rubizhne
{{Short description|Battle in the Russian invasion of Ukraine}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Lead too short|date=November 2023}}
{{Update|reason=Needs more information on aftermath/end of battle|date=November 2023}}
}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of Rubizhne
| partof = the eastern front of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
| image = Rubizhne after the battle (101).jpg
| caption = Ruins of Rubizhne after the battle
| place = Rubizhne, Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine
| date = 17 March – 12 May 2022
({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=3|day1=15|year1=2022|month2=5|day2=12|year2=2022}})
| result = Russian and LPR victory{{Citation |title=Ukrainian commander in Lysychansk all but confirmed to us the loss of Rubhizne, North of Severodonetsk. The Ukrainians now only control one exit to the town. |url=https://twitter.com/tomthescribe/status/1524712530496692226 |publication-place=Twitter}}
| combatant1 = {{plainlist|
- {{flag|Russia}}
- {{flag|Luhansk People's Republic|name=Luhansk PR}}}}
| combatant2 = {{flag|Ukraine}}
| units1 =
| units2 =
| commander1 =
| commander2 =
| casualties3 = 13+ civilians killed, 14+ wounded
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Russian invasion of Ukraine}}
| coordinates = {{wikidatacoord|display=it}}
}}
The battle of Rubizhne was a military engagement on the eastern theatre of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The city came under Russian control on 12 May.
Background
On 2 March, fighting was reported in almost all the villages near Sievierodonetsk.{{Cite web |title=Бої тривають майже у всіх довколишніх селах навколо Сєвєродонецька – голова Луганської обладміністрації |url=https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/805232.html |access-date=3 March 2022 |website=Інтерфакс-Україна |language=uk |archive-date=6 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306142025/https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/805232.html |url-status=live }} Four days later, governor of Luhansk Oblast Serhiy Haidai stated that fighting was taking place on the outskirts of Lysychansk, Sievierodonetsk and Rubizhne.{{cite web|url=https://www.unian.ua/war/boji-bilya-troh-mist-stalo-vidomo-de-na-luganshchini-duzhe-garyache-novini-donbasu-11731171.html|title=Бої біля трьох міст: стало відомо, де на Луганщині дуже "гаряче"|author=Ivan Boyko|work=Ukrainian Independent Information Agency|date=March 6, 2022|accessdate=March 8, 2022|language=Ukrainian|archive-date=6 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306062545/https://www.unian.ua/war/boji-bilya-troh-mist-stalo-vidomo-de-na-luganshchini-duzhe-garyache-novini-donbasu-11731171.html|url-status=live}}
Battle
= March =
On 17 March, Russian forces advanced into Rubizhne.{{Cite web |title=Ворог просунувся в Рубіжному на Луганщині – голова ОВА |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/03/17/7332330/ |access-date=2022-03-17}} By noon, they had captured the western and northwestern outskirts, and were assaulting the southern part of the city.{{Cite web |title=RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 17 |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-17 |access-date=2022-03-17}} Separatist troops raised the flag of the Luhansk People's Republic above a city administration building. Fighting continued the following day.{{Cite web |title=RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 18 |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-18 |access-date=2022-03-18}} Between 19 and 20 March, Russian and LPR forces captured the village of {{ill|Varvarivka|uk|Варварівка (Сєвєродонецький район)}}, north of Rubizhne.{{Cite web |title=RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 20 |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-20 |access-date=2022-03-20}}
On 22 March, the head of the LPR, Leonid Pasechnik, claimed that while "almost 80% of the territory" of the Luhansk region had been taken, Rubizhne had not yet been "liberated", noting that units of the People's Militia of the LPR were still fighting to take the city under their control.{{Cite web |title=Глава ЛНР заявил об освобождении от украинских военных порядка 80% территории республики |url=https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/14142001 |access-date=2022-03-23 |agency=TASS}} Two days later, Ukrainian government officials in Luhansk Oblast said that Russian forces had made advances in Rubizhne.{{Cite web |title=RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 24 |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-24 |access-date=2022-03-24}}
= April =
By 6 April, Russian forces had reportedly captured 60% of the city of Rubizhne,{{Cite news |title=Russian forces control 60% of Rubizhne town in east Ukraine, says governor |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/russian-forces-control-60-of-rubizhne-to-idUSKCN2LY0Y5 |access-date=2022-04-08}} shells and rockets were landing in the city on "regular, sustained intervals".{{Cite web |last=Presse |first=AFP-Agence France |title=Sustained Bombardment Seen In Severodonetsk: AFP |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/sustained-bombardment-seen-in-severodonetsk-afp-01649240707 |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=www.barrons.com |language=en-US}} On 11 and 12 April, continuing Russian attacks gained no ground.{{cite web |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-11 |title=Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 11 |publisher=Institute for the Study of War |date=11 April 2022 |access-date=1 April 2022 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-12 |title=Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 12 |publisher=Institute for the Study of War |date=12 April 2022 |access-date=12 April 2022 }}
On the morning of 18 April, Russia renewed its offensive in Donbas.{{Cite web | url=https://nypost.com/2022/04/18/ukraine-war-russia-begins-donbas-offensive/ | title=Russia begins Donbas offensive in eastern Ukraine | date=18 April 2022|website=New York Post }}{{Cite web |date=2022-04-19 |title=Russia begins large-scale military action to seize eastern Ukraine |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/18/russia-begins-large-scale-military-action-to-seize-eastern-ukraine |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} Russian and LPR forces continued advancing in Rubizhne on 19 and 20 April,{{cite web |title=RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, APRIL 20 |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-20 |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=Institute for the Study of War |language=en}} capturing the central part of the city.{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-04-20-22/h_c8b98e7230727754d2d5ebfee9dfc76b|title=Russians take control of central Rubizhne in Luhansk, videos show|first=Paul P. |last=Murphy |date=20 April 2022|website=CNN}} During this time, parts of the city were subject to Ukrainian shelling from Novodruzhesk.{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220419-russia-s-donbas-offensive-advances-with-fall-of-kreminna |title=Russia's Donbas offensive advances with fall of Kreminna |website=France 24 |date=2022-04-19 |access-date=2022-05-31}} As of 26 April, the Russian military was slowly advancing west and south of the city in an attempt to encircle Ukrainian forces.{{cite web |title=RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, APRIL 26 |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-26 |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=Institute for the Study of War |language=en}}
= May =
On 2 May, Haidai reported that the village of {{ill|Mykhailivka, Sievierodonetsk Raion|uk|Михайлівка (Сєвєродонецький район)}} was shelled by Russian forces, resulting in the death of a priest.{{cite web |title=Priest was killed by Russian shelling in Luhansk region |url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3474661-priest-was-killed-by-russian-shelling-in-luhansk-region.html |date=4 May 2022}} The Ukrainian military claimed on 4 May that Russian forces had yet to take full control of Rubizhne.{{cite web |title=Russian troops fail to take control of Popasna and Rubizhne |url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3475978-russian-troops-fail-to-take-control-of-popasna-and-rubizhne.html |date=5 May 2022}} It was reported that Russian forces seized Rubizhne and the nearby town of Voevodivka on 12 May 2022.{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-05-13-22/h_67faa3f08da188441de767341e390737|title=Ukrainian forces lose foothold in eastern town|work=CNN|date=13 May 2022}}
Writing for the BBC, Quentin Sommerville claimed that during the fighting for Rubizhne, Russian forces fired up to 1,500 shells per day to "wipe out" ground resistance before they advanced.{{Cite web |title='I watched from afar Russia's latest merciless assault on Severodonetsk' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61634050 |date=2022-05-30|website=BBC |language=en}}
Casualties
At least 13 civilians were killed and 14 wounded due to fighting in the city.{{Cite web |title=Three civilians, two children killed in shelling of Rubizhne – Luhansk authorities |url=https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/817037.html |access-date=2022-05-17 |website=Interfax-Ukraine |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Rubizhne under shelling by Russian troops: four people killed, 10 civilians wounded over past day |url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3432682-rubizhne-under-shelling-by-russian-troops-four-people-killed-10-civilians-wounded-over-past-day.html |access-date=2022-05-17 |website=www.ukrinform.net |date=17 March 2022 |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Balachuk |first=Iryna |date=15 March 2022 |title=Russia's shelling of hospital, residential care facility, and 3 schools in Rubizhne: 4 killed |work=Ukrayinska Pravda |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/03/15/7331465/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220315092932/https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/03/15/7331465/ |archive-date=15 March 2022 |accessdate=15 March 2022}}{{Cite web |title=Two people killed in enemy shelling of Rubizhne overnight |url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3439252-two-people-killed-in-enemy-shelling-of-rubizhne-overnight.html |access-date=2022-05-17 |website=www.ukrinform.net |date=25 March 2022 |language=en}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rubizhne}}
Category:Luhansk Oblast in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Category:March 2022 in Ukraine
Category:April 2022 in Ukraine
Category:Battles of the Eastern front of the Russian invasion of Ukraine