On 24 February 2022, as part of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian military crossed the Russia–Ukraine and Belarus–Ukraine borders into northern Ukraine, entering the oblasts (regions) of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Zhytomyr. The Russian operations in northern Ukraine were initially launched as an attempt to capture Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine and the seat of the Ukrainian government.
Russian forces initially captured several towns and cities, but logistical and supply failures, stiff Ukrainian resistance, and poor morale caused their advance to stall. With heavy losses and the inability to make further progress, Russia withdrew its forces from Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts in late March and early April 2022, and Ukrainian forces retook control.
Campaign
Three-day war plan
Russia had reportedly hoped to take Kyiv rapidly and to remove the Ukrainian Government, allowing the installation of a pro-Russian government. Russia positioned a large force in Belarus, which crossed the border and invaded the north of Ukraine, while other forces attacked from the east of Ukraine (occupied territories of the Donbass) and from Crimea in the south.
After the start of the invasion, Ukrainian and Western analysts tentatively assessed that Putin seemed to have assumed that the Russian Armed Forces would be capable of capturing the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv within several days. This assessment eventually led to the commonly reached conclusion that "taking Kyiv in three days" had been the original objective or expectation of the invasion.
Putin himself asserted back in 2014 that Russian forces "could take Ukraine in two weeks". Aleksandr Lukashenko had already stated that, in case of war, Kyiv would be taken in "3–4 days". Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Russian state-controlled broadcaster RT, had made similar remarks about Russia being able to "defeat Ukraine in two days". The narrative of the planned "three day" capture of Kyiv was further reinforced on 2 March, when the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) repeated the claim following its release of a video showing a captured Russian soldier claiming that his unit was sent into Ukraine with food supplies for only three days. Documents found inside Russian tanks mention how the "special military operation" would conclude in ten days. Ukraine also captured "flagship" tanks – as used in parades – along with military parade uniforms, suggesting that Russia expected to stage a victory parade in Kyiv after a quick conquest. Three days after the invasion began, RIA Novosti, a Russian state news agency, mistakenly published an article entitled "Russia's Coming and the New World," which was prepared in advance in anticipation of a Russian victory. It announced that Russia had won the Russo-Ukrainian war and that "Ukraine had returned to Russia". Zelenskyy also said that he had received an ultimatum to be replaced with Viktor Medvedchuk.
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 advanced south towards the city from Belarus on 24 February, reportedly in an attempt encircle the city from the west. Two supporting axes of attack from Russia through Chernihiv Oblast and Sumy Oblast were intended to encircle Kyiv from the northeast and east, respectively.
The attack force reached the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and captured the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and the ghost city of Pripyat. Russian vehicles had also broke through the border checkpoint at Vilcha by noon. 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 20 miles (32 km) of Kyiv on the first day of the offensive.
In the morning of 25 February, Ukraine's military said its airborne forces were fighting near the settlements of Dymer and Ivankiv, where a large amount of Russian armored vehicles had advanced. The Ukrainian forces destroyed a bridge over the Teteriv River at Ivankiv, claiming to have halted the Russian columns, though it was soon reported that 80 Russian vehicles were moving through Dymer and the neighboring village of Katiuzhanka.
On the morning of 27 February, a large convoy of Russian vehicles more than 4.8 kilometres (3 miles) long was seen on satellite images on a road near Ivankiv heading towards Kyiv. By 28 February, the convoy had grown to around 64 kilometres (40 miles) long.
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".
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 ultimately captured on 25 February as the significantly outnumbered and outgunned members of the Ukrainian National Guard withdrew.
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. Russian forces 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. However, according to both Western and Ukrainian sources, an estimated 300 Russian paratroopers were killed during the battle.
Hostomel
On 26 February, according to Ukrainian sources, Ukrainian strikes near the Hostomel airport resulted in the death of 141st Motorized Regiment commander Magomed Tushayev and the "destruction" of a "strike group" which had been ordered to assassinate Zelenskyy.
In late February 2022, Russian forces attempted to set up checkpoints within the city of Hostomel, but were forced to move back towards the airport by Ukrainian forces.
On 3 March, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) claimed that its forces were engaged in battles for the city of Hostomel, and claimed to have destroyed twenty Russian military vehicles, including ten at the city's glass factory. Major Valeriy Chybineyev of the Defense Intelligence was killed at Hostomel the same day. The next day, the DIU announced that a special forces group under its command, which also included the 3rd Special Forces Regiment and a local resistance group, had restored control over Hostomel, and that over fifty members of Russia's 31st Air Assault Brigade had been killed in action during the battles. An advisor to Zelenskyy claimed that Russian forces retook control of Hostomel and Bucha on 5 March.
Vasylkiv
It has been reported that, on 26 February 2022, Russian paratroopers began an assault on Vasylkiv, 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of Kyiv, to capture a military airbase nearby. A large group of Russian paratrooper units were alleged to have landed near Vasylkiv, despite anti-aircraft fire. The units then advanced to the city and were involved in heavy fighting with the Ukrainian 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, and were repulsed. The city's mayor, Natalia Balasinovich, claimed over 200 Ukrainians were injured during the fight. The New York Times cited reports by unnamed Ukrainian officials, that at least part of the attackers were sleeper agents who had bought apartments in the city the month before the invasion.
Claims have been made that Ukrainian aircraft shot down two Russian Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft transporting assault troops. However, The Guardian reports "no convincing public evidence has surfaced about the two downed planes, or about a drop of paratroopers in Vasylkiv". Ukrainian territorial defense units combed the woods and surrounding countryside and found no plane wreckage.
In the early morning of 27 February, a Russian missile struck an oil depot in Vasylkiv, setting it ablaze. On 12 March, a Russian rocket attack destroyed the air base.
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 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) 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.