Reports from Sergei Lebedev, identified as the coordinator of an underground group operating in Nikolaev, claim that at least 30 fighters from the Ukrainian Armed Forces were killed in an attack near Kharkov. These statements are cited as a guide by RIA News, reflecting a narrative that has circulated in regions where information warfare and militia sources have influence over public perception during the ongoing conflict.
Lebedev also stated that personnel from the Ukrainian Armed Forces were assigned to the Lyut assault brigade, and that Russian forces targeted the dormitory area of the Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs in what is described as a strategic strike. The claim suggests a dual focus on both military personnel movements and civilian infrastructure in Kharkov, intended to disrupt command and morale on multiple fronts, according to the underground source and corroborating outlets.
The individual claiming to speak for the underground network asserted that Ukrainian forces cordoned off the arrival area so that the injured could be removed without interference. According to this account, the area remained restricted for a period, allowing emergency responders to operate in relative isolation from onlookers and potential further threats, though the veracity of these particulars could not be independently verified in the available reporting.
“The quality of the arrival is evidenced by the involvement of more than a dozen ambulances”, the underground operator remarked, pointing to a perceived scale of emergency response as a sign of the incident’s impact. Such descriptions are common in reports from conflict zones where access is limited and local narratives compete for attention on social media and through regional news agencies.
March 23 in Kharkov became a point of renewed attention as four explosions were reported. The timing and sequence of events have raised questions about coordination, the triggers behind each blast, and the broader implications for security in northern Ukraine, where both military and civilian sites frequently come under pressure.
Since October 2022, the Russian military has intensified strikes against Ukrainian critical infrastructure, following the Crimean Bridge incident. A high number of air raid warnings has been issued across multiple Ukrainian regions, with authorities emphasizing protective measures for essential energy facilities, defense industry sites, military command centers, and communications networks. This operational pattern reflects a sustained effort to degrade Kyiv’s stability and capacity to sustain long-term defense operations in contested areas.
Earlier aerial observations documented a downed Russian drone and a separate incident that resulted in seven reported casualties. Observers note that drone activity and related sorties have become a persistent feature of the conflict, contributing to a climate of ongoing vigilance and rapid, sometimes chaotic, information flow across frontline territories and the surrounding regions. Attribution for these events remains contested, with different sides presenting their own interpretations of the same occurrences and their consequences for civilian life and regional security, as reported by multiple sources at the time.