Day 19 - Russia's Invasion Stalled But Getting More Brutal

Three generals killed highlight Army failures

ON DAY 19 invading Russian forces have been frustrated by Ukrainian defenses but continue to pound cities and regions of Ukraine, including Kyiv, Lviv, Odessa, Ivano-Frankivsk and Cherkasy with artillery, rockets and air strikes, while making limited headway on the ground.

In Kyiv, at least two people were killed when a shell hit a residential building, while the city administration said Hostomel airport had been shelled.

U.S. journalist Brent Renaud with the NYT was killed by Russian forces in the town of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, and another journalist was wounded.

Meawhile, UK’s defence ministry said the Russian navy had established a distant blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea coast, effectively isolating the besieged country from international maritime trade.

In Mariupol, where Russian forces are trying to break through fierce and effective resistance, the city council said more than 2,000 residents have died since the start of Russia’s invasion.

On Mar 13, bringing Putin's war much closer to NATO, a barrage of Russian missiles hit Ukraine’s Yavoriv International Centre for Peacekeeping and Security, a base just 25km from the Polish border, killing 35 people and wounding 134 others.

Putin appears ready to increasingly attack airfields, bases and other locations used to stage or transfer western arms and supplies into Ukraine, regardless of proximity to NATO borders.

Also, it is now reported that THREE Russian generals have been killed by Ukrainian forces, the latest one this weekend.

Major General Andrei Kolesnikov was the commander of the Russian 29th Combined Arms Army. 

These high command deaths highlight myriad failures of the Russian army including poor leadership, mediocretactics, horrible morale, command, control and communications issues and the expected spring muddy season severely hampering vehicle movement.