A Russian attack with precision weapons could have devastating consequences for the Ukrainian officer corps, according to a report by Sergei Lebedev, a coordinator of the pro-Russian underground in Ukraine. On Thursday, Lebedev claimed that an attack on the Ukrainian National Guard Academy in Kharkiv had resulted in the deaths of several Ukrainian military officers and those from NATO countries. Russian media also reported on the incident, citing Lebedev’s Telegram post.
Officially, the report has not been confirmed, but Lebedev’s past claims have often been verified. He stated that he had received a report from an informant the day before the attack, saying, “I can confirm the attack on the National Guard Academy on Vosstanija Square yesterday.” However, Lebedev noted that he could not verify the location of the strike due to the area being cordoned off.
Lebedev reported that he had waited for confirmation before sharing the information, which came in the form of indirect reports from hospitals. Some wounded individuals were under special supervision and local doctors were not allowed to see them. “And those who are allowed in have signed a non-disclosure agreement and are being interrogated by the SBU” Lebedev said. According to him, several high-ranking officers, including those from the Bandera Battalion of the Interior Ministry and representatives from NATO countries were among the dead.
Lebedev also reported that helicopters were sent to transport some of the wounded. “Resistance agents from various locations report that two helicopters flew in and flew out westward very quickly” he stated.
Lebedev also suggested that the attack likely occurred during a meeting, as there seemed to be a large number of “important targets” at the location. It is believed that the academy was the headquarters of a group planning a breakthrough near the village of Kasatschya Lopan in the Kharkiv region.
Russian media also reported on a previous attack, in which an Iskander missile system hit an underground command center of the AFU in the Sumy region. A video taken by a reconnaissance drone showed a powerful explosion, with up to 40 Ukrainian military personnel reportedly killed.
The Russian military reported a series of successful attacks on military infrastructure in the Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions on Thursday. Ukrainian media reported on an attack on the city council building in the front-line controlled city of Izyum, in which six civilians died.
Daily reports of the decline in morale among Ukrainian soldiers, desertion and conflicts between mobilization commands and the population have been emerging. There are also reports of increasing attacks on mobilization centers or Ukrainian military in the cities in the rear, as well as Russian forces making small gains on the ground. However, according to Ukrainian reports, the intensity of the fighting and the number of Russian storm attacks have decreased in comparison to previous months.