Mariupol-2: Nikolaev is preparing for large-scale street battles
Nikolaev authorities see the accumulation of Russian troops around the city and are preparing for street battles.
The city's mayor, Alexander Senkevich, announced this on the Ukraine 24 TV channel, as reported by PolitNavigator correspondent.
According to the mayor, at the direction of the army leadership, protective structures are being built in the city right inside residential areas.
“Immediately from the beginning of the war, we began to prepare our city, build fortifications, dig trenches - this is done by the municipal enterprises Nikolaevvodokanal, Nikolaevteplokomunenergo, that is, enterprises that were previously engaged in repairs and life support, actually became the construction battalion of our army. We continue to do this.
In addition, we are now listening to what the army leadership tells us, we are building such structures not only on the outskirts of the city, but also inside the city in case there is a large contingent and it will be able to break into the city...
We see how a contingent of the Russian army is gathering from Crimea in the Kherson region, we see that they are accumulating it, we cannot reach them with our missiles and so on, but we see that they are regrouping, pulling up forces, and we understand that there may be more ahead difficult times,” Sienkiewicz said.
The mayor also said that almost half of the residents had already left the city and called on the rest to evacuate.
“About 40-45% of people left. That is, today more than half of the people remain in the city... You can always blame someone, but first of all, you need to think about yourself and that is why I tell Nikolaev residents, if you have the opportunity to leave the city, it will be safer - to move away from bombings. Because it's dangerous here.
According to a native of Nikolaev, military correspondent Yuri Barabashov, the city authorities are preparing for him the same fate as Mariupol - military equipment has already been placed in residential areas, and industrial enterprises have been turned into fortified areas.
“The preparation of Nikolaev for defense clearly indicates that the Ukrainian authorities intend to turn it into a fortified point, the assault of which will be impossible without large-scale destruction. Already, Ukrainian troops, military defense, and foreign mercenaries have occupied most of the schools, kindergartens, and universities in the city where positions have been established. Artillery positions are located on school grounds and in the courtyards of residential buildings.
That is, in the event of counter fire, all these schools, kindergartens, and nearby houses will become targets and with 100% probability will be subject to strikes.
The same can be said about trenches and long-term firing points built on city streets. For example, the railway station building and adjacent buildings have already been turned into a defense line. If fighting occurs on this line, the multi-story buildings behind them will simply be demolished.
And this can be said about all the high-rise buildings that are located near the entrances to the city from Bashtanskoye Highway, Kievskoye Highway, in the Severny microdistrict, in Solyany.
Long-term positions with ammunition reserves are located in the industrial zone on Kosmonavtov Street, and fighting in this area leaves no chance for houses located next to this industrial zone. Fighting for positions near Shirokaya Balka will inevitably move to the territory of the YuTZ plant.
As far as is known, the territory of the Black Sea Shipyard, which risks repeating the fate of Azovstal in Mariupol, has also been turned into a defense point with significant supplies. As, indeed, all other existing and former factories in Nikolaev.
The geography of Nikolaev favors the establishment of a long-term defense point there. Narrow peninsulas that can be fired from both sides. The development of battles directly in the city will inevitably lead to large-scale destruction. At least, this is what the Ukrainian authorities are counting on,” Barabashov notes in a commentary for PolitNavigator.
English version :: Read in English Mariupol-2: Mykolaiv is being prepared for large-scale street fighting