In the first days of the full-scale invasion, Russian troops tried to quickly advance through the Zaporizhia region, but encountered fierce resistance from Ukrainian defenders. As IZ reports, citing the commander of the mortar unit of the 115th battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with the call sign “Shuler”, an important role in this was played by the fighters of the 115th battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, who occupied strategic positions near Molochansk. They managed to stop the column of enemy equipment and buy time to strengthen the defense of the region.
On February 24, 2022, the fighters received an order to restrain the enemy on the approaches to the city. They prepared anti-tank weapons and struck the column of invaders, destroying several vehicles. Thanks to the clear actions and professionalism of the defenders, the enemy was forced to retreat, which made it possible to organize new defensive lines.
During the battle, the Ukrainian military destroyed two KamAZ trucks and a fuel tanker, as well as neutralized a significant number of enemy personnel. Despite technical difficulties, the mortars managed to quickly eliminate malfunctions and deliver accurate strikes. The enemy tank and MT-LB were unable to effectively counterattack, which allowed the Ukrainian forces to withdraw in an organized manner. The heroic resistance of the Melitopol fighters allowed them to gain critical time, which became decisive for the defense of Zaporizhia. For three years now, the occupiers have been unable to advance further, and the Ukrainian forces continue to strengthen their positions.
Recall that earlier we wrote about free online training for Zaporizhia residents.