53 people killed in 24 hours of Russian shelling in Chernihiv

53 people have been killed in the shelling of Chernihiv by Russian occupying forces on 16 March.

Source: Head of the Chernihiv Regional Military Administration Viacheslav Chaus on Telegram

Direct quote: "The enemy is continuing its systemic artillery and airstrikes on the regional capital and is destroying civil infrastructure.

We are suffering heavy losses. In the last 24 hours alone, the city morgue has taken in 53 bodies of our citizens who were killed by the Russians, and for every one of those citizens we will take revenge and kill.
Details: Chaus stressed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are continuing to mount devastating attacks on the Russian army. Where forces are not in populated areas, the enemy is suffering major losses.

He also outlined three aspects of the city’s problems. The first is the lack of electricity, water, heating and, in some places, gas. He assured people that Oblenerho, Chernihivgaz, the water utility company, the thermal power plant and the State Emergency Service have emergency teams working round the clock despite the shelling.

Second, some people are writing that there are people in basements (unspecified) with no food or water. According to Chaus, this may well be the case in individual basements – after all, there are a huge number of shelter sites.

"Chernihiv City Council and dozens of volunteers are working hard to provide food and drinking water. But of course, some people may be missed. Let’s identify them. There are soldiers outside every shelter site. Please let us know through the soldiers that water or food is not getting through to you, and we’ll include that site in our targeted delivery", Chaus emphasised.

And thirdly, there is the "green corridor". Chaus explained that setting up a "green corridor" is not like pressing a green button. Establishing a humanitarian corridor means "negotiating with the Russian c**ts so that they stop shelling our land to make it possible to get people out."

He announced that the next round of negotiations will take place on Thursday. Central and local authorities, together with Ukrainian Army command, are working on coordinating an evacuation convoy from the city.

Separately, Chaus addressed not the people of Chernihiv, but people in other regions of Ukraine who are commenting on social media and creating panic, saying that in Chernihiv "Russians are running around the city with machine guns". "There are no Russians with machine guns here. Don’t spread panic, please. The army is doing its job", Chaus emphasised.

Direct quote: "If you’re not out working, you’re in a shelter, in another region, and you’re just sitting on the sofa scrolling through your Facebook feed and trying to comment, it’s better not to do that.

Everyone’s calmly getting on with their jobs: the Ukrainian army is f**cking Russia over; the utilities people are working on restoring the networks; volunteers are working to deliver food and water to citizens and the army.

Ukraine will prevail! We believe in God and the Ukrainian army!

And Mum, I know you’re worried, but I am wearing my winter hat."