Battle of Slavutych
{{Short description|Battle in the Russian invasion of Ukraine}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of Slavutych
| partof = Part of the northern Ukraine campaign of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
| image =
| caption = Anti-occupation protests in Slavutych, 26 March
| place = Slavutych, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine
| date = 23–26 March 2022
({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=3|day1=23|year1=2022|month2=3|day2=26|year2=2022}})
| result = Russian victory
| combatant1 = Russia
| combatant2 = Ukraine
| units1 =
| units2 =
| commander1 =
| commander2 =
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 = 4 Territorial Defense fighters killed
| casualties3 = 1 civilian wounded
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Russian invasion of Ukraine}}
| coordinates = {{wikidatacoord|display=it}}
}}
The battle of Slavutych was a military engagement which took place during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the city of Slavutych, a purpose-built settlement for workers in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. The city came under attack by Russian forces in March 2022, forcing out Ukrainian defenders.
Timeline
= Initial siege and humanitarian crisis =
Due to the siege of Chernihiv by Russian forces, the city of Slavutych was completely isolated from most of Ukraine by late February,{{cite web|url=https://nv.ua/ukr/ukraine/events/shcho-robili-okupanti-z-rf-na-chaes-mer-slavuticha-novini-ukrajini-50232984.html|title=«Чорнобиль вже з них ніколи не вийде». Мер Славутича — про те, що робили загарбники у його місті і на ЧАЕС|author=Ольга Духніч|website=The New Voice of Ukraine|date=2022-04-11|access-date=2024-05-02|lang=uk}} leading to shortages of food and medicine.{{cite web |last1=Мороз |first1=Александр |title=Славутич повністю ізольований і потребує продуктів харчування, - ОВА |url=https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/slavutich-polnostyu-izolirovan-nuzhdaetsya-1647258420.html |website=РБК-Україна |access-date=29 March 2022 |language=Ukrainian |date=14 March 2022}} The city's electricity supply was disconnected; after Ukrenergo employees repaired damaged electricity lines to reconnect the city, Russian forces damaged them again.{{cite web |title=ЧАЕС та Славутич знову без електрики. Окупанти пошкодили відремонтовану лінію |url=https://biz.liga.net/ua/ekonomika/tek/novosti/chaes-i-slavutich-snova-bez-elektrichestva-okkupanty-povredili-otremontirovannuyu-liniyu |website=Liga.net |access-date=29 March 2022 |language=Ukrainian |date=14 March 2022}}
Russian forces opened fire on a Ukrainian checkpoint near Slavutych on 23 March. Mayor Yuri Fomichev noted that the city was surrounded, and warned residents against trying to leave. He said that Russian forces had not advanced toward the city, but were nearby. The delivery of goods and humanitarian aid remained difficult.{{cite web |last1=ТИЩЕНКО |first1=КАТЕРИНА |title=Київщина: росіяни обстріляли блокпост у Славутичі, місто заблоковане |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/03/23/7333985/ |website=Українська правда |access-date=29 March 2022 |language=Ukrainian |date=23 March 2022}} The following day, the shelling of Ukrainian checkpoints in Slavutych continued, with conditions within the besieged city described as a "humanitarian catastrophe". Energoatom warned that Russian forces were attempting to storm the city.{{cite web |title=Місто-супутник ЧАЕС. Російські окупанти намагаються штурмувати Славутич |url=https://nv.ua/ukr/ukraine/events/slavutich-okupanti-namagayutsya-vzyati-shturmom-misto-suputnik-chornobilskoji-aes-50227991.html |website=nv.ua |access-date=29 March 2022 |language=Ukrainian |date=24 March 2022}} On 25 March, the Slavutych city council forbade residents from moving around the city by foot or by vehicle, due to fears that they would be targeted by Russian snipers.{{cite web |title=У Славутичі суворо заборонили цивільним пересуватися містом: яка причина |url=https://kyiv.tsn.ua/ukrayina/u-slavutichi-suvoro-zaboronili-civilnim-ruhatisya-mistom-yaka-prichina-2019568.html |website=TSN.ua |access-date=29 March 2022 |language=Ukrainian |date=25 March 2022}}
=End of battle and Russian withdrawal =
On 26 March, Russian armed forces entered Slavutych unopposed after driving Ukrainian Territorial Defense Force personnel away from the outlying checkpoints with artillery and direct tank fire. One Ukrainian fighter died at a checkpoint, and three more were killed by snipers while retreating. The city hospital was captured by Russian forces. Reports emerged that Russian troops had abducted the mayor of Slavutych, Yuriy Fomichev; he was ultimately released in time to address a protest rally against the Russian invasion which took place later that day in the city square.{{cite web |last1=БАЛАЧУК |first1=ІРИНА |title=У Славутичі є поранені, але мера окупанти відпустили |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/03/26/7334721/ |website=Українська правда |access-date=29 March 2022 |language=Ukrainian |date=26 March 2022}} More than 5,000 residents of the city took part in the peaceful protest,{{cite web |last1=РОЩІНА |first1=ОЛЕНА |title=Мер окупованого Славутича: Компромісів не було, росіяни поставили одну умову |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/03/27/7334964/ |website=Українська правда |access-date=29 March 2022 |location=27 March 2022 |language=Ukrainian}} until it was disrupted by Russian troops firing warning shots and launching stun grenades into the crowd, injuring at least one civilian.{{cite web |last1=Орлова |first1=Віолетта |title=Танки РФ ввійшли у Славутич: містяни зібралися на проукраїнські протести |url=https://www.unian.ua/society/u-slavutichi-pomitili-tanki-rosiyan-mistyani-viyshli-na-proukrajinski-protesti-novini-ukrajini-11760067.html |website=unian.ua |access-date=29 March 2022 |language=Ukrainian |date=26 March 2022}} Footage of protesters fleeing stun grenades circulated online internationally; the attack on a peaceful protest rally by civilians is a possible war crime.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}
In an address at the protest rally, the mayor of Slavutych assured Russian forces that there were no military forces or weapons within the city, telling them that they should withdraw as a result.{{cite web |last1=Комісарова |first1=Олександра |title=Окупанти РФ відпустили мера Славутича, він розповів про "домовленості" |url=https://suspilne.media/221838-okupanti-rf-vidpustili-mera-slavutica-vin-rozpoviv-pro-domovlenosti/ |website=PublicNews |access-date=29 March 2022 |language=Ukrainian |date=26 March 2022}} Subsequently, Russian forces withdrew from the city centre into the city's outer suburbs.{{cite web |title=Загарбники вийшли з центру Славутича і стоять на околицях |url=https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-regions/3440452-zagarbniki-vijsli-z-centru-slavutica-i-stoat-na-okolicah.html |website=ukrinform.ua |access-date=29 March 2022 |language=Ukrainian |date=26 March 2022}}
The mayor of Slavutych agreed to allow Russian forces to search the city for weapons in order for them to agree to withdraw from the city. This process was completed on 27 March, and Russian troops exited Slavutych.{{cite web |title=Російські окупанти залишили Славутич |url=https://ua.interfax.com.ua/news/general/818575.html |website=Interfax Україна |access-date=29 March 2022 |language=Ukrainian |date=28 March 2022}} Subsequently, humanitarian corridors were established in order to allow supplies and humanitarian aid to enter the city and give civilians the opportunity to evacuate.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine}}
Category:March 2022 in Ukraine
Category:Battles of the Northern front of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Category:Kyiv Oblast in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Slavutych, Battle of}}