This front line at Irpen, on the northwestern outskirts of Kyiv, did not budge in two weeks, despite the military superiority of the Russians. That in itself was a victory for the commander. Casper and his fighters.
“The Russians were trying to move forward,” said the short, burly unit commander, who did not give his full name for security reasons but introduced himself as a pseudonym. “But they didn’t expect the Ukrainians to be waiting for them.”
When Russian troops captured the military airport at Gostomel, a few miles north of Irpin, on the first day of the war, many military observers expected a quick capture of Kyiv. But more than two weeks later, Russian troops were barely moving forward.
A visit to two active front lines – Irpen and near Brovary, northeast of the center of the capital – provided an insight into the strategy, tactics and capabilities of the Ukrainian forces defending Kyiv, as well as the obvious tactical errors and miscalculations of the Ukrainian resistance on the part of Russia.
The story continues under the ad
The United States and 20 other countries, mostly members of NATO and the European Union, have pledged to send significant arms shipments to Ukrainian forces, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, machine guns and sniper rifles. It is not clear how many of these added weapons ended up in the hands of Ukrainian forces in Kyiv, allowing them to rely on their existing arsenal and adapt their tactics in the field.
“The Russians were not prepared for unconventional warfare,” said Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies and an expert on Russian defense policy. “They were not ready for unconventional tactics. They don’t know what to do with this guerrilla-like insurgency.”
To be sure, most military analysts and Western officials still predict that Russian troops will eventually encircle Kyiv and break into the capital, possibly with airstrikes. While this may turn out to be true, it is far from clear whether the Russian will win.
For Ukrainian forces, this war is a war of attrition. They appear to be trying to slow down and wear down the Russian army by creating the conditions for a stalemate on Kyiv’s outer borders. This will give the Ukrainians time for other types of pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Off the battlefield, these include tightening international sanctions on Russia and diplomatic efforts to win concessions from Russia. On the front lines, Putin’s forces are facing new shipments of Western heavy weapons to Ukraine and growing global outrage over the killing of civilians and the bombing of residential areas and hospitals – actions that could be potential war crimes.
On March 14, two terrorist attacks took place in residential areas of Kyiv, as a result of which at least two people were killed. Residents fear the violence will only escalate as Russian troops approach. (John Gerberg, Jorge Ribas/The Washington Post)
In interviews, Ukrainian soldiers also said they took advantage of the Russians’ own shortcomings, including the use of predictable strategies, unfamiliarity with the terrain, and even surprising unpreparedness for a heavy conflict. There have been reports on social media and on the battlefield that Russian soldiers are running out of food, water and gasoline for their vehicles. Some reportedly gave up after getting lost or due to low morale. Russian military columns slowed down or stopped due to mechanical failures.
“Ukraine’s main game is the game of time,” said Michael Kofman, director of Russian studies at the Center for Naval Analysis. “Trying to do anything else will waste the great military potential they have. Are they able to push Russian troops out of Ukraine? No. Are they able to win the war? Yes.”
Across the country, Ukrainian forces retreated into cities, refusing to engage Russian forces in the countryside, in the open. While Moscow has gained control of southern cities like Kherson and Melitopol, it is struggling to capture neighboring Mariupol as well as other transport hubs across Ukraine like Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Sumy.
The same is true in the southern city of Nikolaev, where for more than a week Ukrainian forces have prevented a major Russian advance westward towards the strategic port of Odessa.
The story continues under the ad
In Kyiv, where the government is located, the rates cannot be higher.
So far, Ukraine’s defenders are blocking Russia’s main effort: to surround and capture the capital, using the airfield at Gostomel as an air bridge for additional tanks, armored personnel carriers and other weapons. Ukrainian forces have shot down several Russian helicopters and have so far prevented a large Russian armored column from breaking into the capital. Meanwhile, a powerful air defense system was mobilized to defend against airstrikes and rocket attacks.
“The biggest problem is that [Russia] did not organize a proper military operation,” Kofman said. “They thought they would just move in and not fight. This led to a lot of disasters because they didn’t plan anything.”
Swinging battles unfolded in the areas of Gostomel, Bucha and Irpin – a possible harbinger of urban, street fighting that could engulf the capital in the event of a breakthrough by Russian troops.
On Saturday, large puffs of black smoke billowed over the city of Bucha against the backdrop of the incessant rumble of falling shells. “We planted anti-tank mines everywhere,” Kasper said with a laugh.
About 40 miles from the capital, on the other side of the capital, Russian troops were trying to break into Kyiv from the northeast. A column of tanks moved along the main highway towards the city of Brovary. As they passed the cluster of houses, the Ukrainian forces saw an opportunity.
They bombarded the convoy with artillery shells and anti-tank missiles, destroying or incapacitating several tanks and armored personnel carriers. According to a video posted on social media by the Ukrainian military, Russian soldiers jumped out of their vehicles and ran into the woods. One tank came to a slow stop, engulfed in flames. (The videos could not be independently verified, but they match descriptions of the battle provided by Ukrainian fighters and doctors attending to the wounded.)
According to military analysts, the ambush exposed the ineffective and sometimes inexplicable tactics of the Russians.
Tanks and other military vehicles crawled slowly along the open highway, making them easy targets. They were also grouped close together, allowing a single artillery shell to knock out several vehicles. There were also no dismounted infantry troops moving in parallel in the forest or along the column to detect potential ambushes.
It is also surprising, analysts say, that some of the tanks were older than a generation and poorly equipped, including the T-72, a Soviet-era tank that first went into production over 50 years ago.
“It’s strange to see that,” said Li of the Foreign Policy Research Institute. “Kyiv is a crucial mission, a decision target, and yet they send some very old units there.”
The story continues under the ad
The ambush also resulted in civilian casualties. Russian soldiers who had escaped from the column hid in nearby villages and shot anyone they considered suspicious. Over the next two days, 23 civilians and military personnel arrived at the Brovarsky Central District Hospital, many with gunshot wounds, hospital director Valentin Baganyuk said.
Among them were family members who were shot after they left the house. While the father was driving, the bullets hit his arm, ripping off three of his fingers, and also wounded him in the head. His 14-year-old daughter was also injured. The father managed to escape to a safe place.
“The Russians targeted them when they tried to flee their village,” Baganyuk said.
Ukrainian artillery batteries, hidden in the woods on the northwestern outskirts of Kyiv, attacked Russian positions in Irpen and Bucha, trying to slow down a possible advance. The bridge connecting the capital with Irpin was demolished last week by Ukrainian troops to prevent Russian armored vehicles from crossing.
As an added precaution, the road from the collapsed bridge to downtown Kyiv was barricaded every 100 yards with large concrete blocks, tank trucks, tires and sandbags.
On the other side of the bridge, at the entrance to the center of Irpen, volunteer armed groups dug trenches on a hill with a vantage point to strike at Russian forces or try to ambush them.
The story continues under the ad
In front of the hill, behind the trees, Ukrainian fighters in camouflage uniforms are located. The rest of the militants were inside the buildings. They looked out for the streets along which the Russians would need to move towards Kyiv.
“They have their own line of defense and we have to hold our ground,” said Igor Zadorozhny, 30, a former army officer who now defends the city in an armed detachment set up by the mayor of Irpin. “Now it’s a stalemate.”
The conflict is a mix of small-scale clashes, often at Ukrainian checkpoints, tit-for-tat artillery fire, and moments of heavy street fighting.
“They attack our posts,” said Artyom, 34, a realtor turned military man. “Then we attack them and they run away.” Like all Ukrainian fighters interviewed by The Washington Post on the front lines, he declined to give his full name for security reasons.
He said that the Russian troops did not know the geography of Irpen. Sometimes they make wrong turns or end up stuck in small streets in their tanks and armored personnel carriers. This allowed the Ukrainian militants to strike at them inside the buildings.
“[The Russians] disoriented in the city,” Artem said.
Clutching his rifle, former army officer Zadorozhny said Ukrainian forces were waiting for the evacuation of civilians from Irpin before “we start clearing the city” of Russians.
In a panic, the inhabitants of Irpen near Kiev flee the city across a destroyed bridge, fleeing the relentless Russian bombardment. (Whitney Shefte, Alice Lee/The Washington Post)
“They don’t have enough provisions, food, water,” he said, referring to reports from residents that Russian soldiers were looting houses and shops. “They don’t have much gas. They will get tired. And then we’ll go and chase them away.”
According to Zadorozhny, knowledge of the urban area was an important advantage for the defenders of Kyiv. “Everything, every stone, every tree for us,” he said.
Another fighter, Roman, 32, said locals are providing intelligence to help find Russians in areas that still have cell service.
“They are trying to take Kyiv, but they don’t want to,” Ramon said. “Everything helps us.”
“Defend our positions”
As Russian ground forces have slowed down, another question arises: will Moscow step up its bombardment of Kyiv to force the government to surrender or flee? So far, the capital has largely avoided a flurry of airstrikes and shelling that hit cities like Kharkov and Chernihiv.
At the Kasper checkpoint, Russian forces stepped up their attacks. On Friday, tanks fired 20 to 25 shells, destroying a large blue house near the Ukrainian base. The Ukrainians did not return fire.
“Our goal is to defend our positions, not attack the Russians,” Kasper said.
Such tactics are reasonable, military analysts say.
The Ukrainian armed forces cannot compete with the might of Russian weapons and must maintain a much smaller arsenal rather than waste resources on counter-offensives. Kasper said they also wanted to keep the road out of Bucha open to allow more civilians to escape. Return fire could turn the road into a war zone, he said.
He added that the Russians sent teams to blow up Ukrainian mines. But what if one day Russian tanks roll down the road to his checkpoint?
Casper smiled and went to the warehouse. He came out with a British-supplied NLAW anti-tank missile and a rocket-propelled grenade.
“We know how to greet them,” he said, picking up a weapon. We have everything here.