The Russian Defense Ministry announced the capture of the Gostomel airfield in the suburbs of Kiev. During the operation, the Ukrainian side lost more than 200 people.
“During the capture of the airfield, more than 200 nationalists from the special units of Ukraine were killed. There are no losses in the Russian Armed Forces,” said Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov.
Konashenkov said that 200 Russian helicopters were involved in the operation to take the Gostomel airfield.
“The success of the landing was ensured by the suppression of the entire air defense system in the landing area, the complete isolation of the combat area from the air and the active conduct of electronic warfare,” Konashenkov said.
Now the airborne forces have joined forces with Russian landing units at the Gostomel airfield, blocking the city of Kiev from the west. The official representative of the Ministry of Defense said that no strikes would be made on residential areas of the Ukrainian capital and warned the Ukrainian leadership against attempts to use civilians as human shields.
“I appeal to Ukrainian citizens. Your nationalist leadership is using the same methods as the terrorists. They want to use you as a human shield. The Russian armed forces will not inflict any strikes on residential areas of the Ukrainian capital,” Konashenkov said.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have deployed Grad multiple launch rocket systems in Kiev, which they are going to inflict on the Gostomel airfield, where Russian military personnel are stationed.
“Currently, intelligence data show that installations of Grad multiple launch rocket systems have been deployed on Shevchenko Square in Kiev to strike at the Gostomel airfield,” Konashenkov said.
Konashenkov announced the blocking of the city of Chernihiv in northern Ukraine by the Russian military, adding that units of the Russian Armed Forces continue to perform tasks in the area of Kiev and other cities, showing courage and heroism.