Saboteurs are operating in Kyiv, Russian troops are going round in circles near Kyiv - head of the Kyiv Military Administration

OLENA ROSHCHINA - THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2022, 10:21 A.M.

Sabotage groups are continuing to operate in Kyiv, but the Russian occupiers do not have enough forces to take the Ukrainian capital by storm.

Source: Major General Mykola Zhirnov, head of the Kyiv military administration, Armed Forces of Ukraine, in an interview with RBK-Ukraine, released on 16 March

Details: "First, there have to be troops that will be able to accomplish this task (encirclement or a breakthrough to Kyiv - ed.). And secondly, there have to be troops who are able to encircle the city and conduct an assault. Encircling Kyiv does not mean winning the battle for Kyiv.

Details: According to Zhirnov, the 40-kilometre convoy of Russian military equipment moving into Kyiv "has been hit - and they have gone on the defensive".

"Every day they suffer losses from the defence forces and from the forces that hit them at night. Therefore, they are trying to regroup, replenish personnel losses, repair equipment and provide logistics," the head of the Kyiv military administration said.

Battles continue around Kyiv. These are in Irpin, Bucha, Hostomel, Dymer, Ivankov, and Baryshevka. According to Zhirnov, "the shelling of these areas is not systematic and is inflicted out of desperation and powerlessness to turn the tide of the fighting."

"We can conclude from the actions of the enemy that going round in circles with constant losses has demoralised it. For weeks now the invaders have been unable to get any closer to the capital. We have stopped them. And on some fronts, our Armed Forces have gone on the offensive," said the head of the Kyiv military administration.

However, saboteurs are operating in Kyiv.

According to Zhirnov: "Enemy sabotage and reconnaissance forces are operating within the region and the city. But they are being hampered and put out of action by our defence forces. We have so far detained 105 people suspected of acts of sabotage. We are monitoring all suspicious persons and taking appropriate actions.

Details: Zhirnov could not reveal the reasons for the 36-hour curfew, but said that "serious measures have been planned to destroy the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance units and other invading forces that want to take over Kyiv".