- Category
- Latest news
“Sviata Varvara” Brigade Marks Anniversary With Vivid Stories From the First Days of Russia’s Invasion
- Authors
![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
On the occasion of the 19th Rocket Brigade “Sviata Varvara” Day, the soldiers shared details of their operations during the first days of Russia's full-scale invasion.
According to the brigade’s statement, published via Facebook on November 10, the command and participants of the events spoke about hitting key Russian targets and the important role of older missile systems in repelling the Russian aggression.
“In February 2022, when Russia planned its so-called 'military exercises,' Ukraine had virtually no long-range, precise weapons. Artillery could only reach up to 40 kilometers, and the MLRS worked up to 70 kilometers, covering large areas. Only the ‘Tochka-U’ missile system could deliver precise strikes beyond 100 kilometers,” the brigade stated.
Just days before the invasion began, the brigade commander ordered the formation of combat columns and a demonstrative movement eastward, before returning to the base to mislead potential spies.
-61e3383fc39a961c714bb3b330eab5d9.png)
The brigade units launched dozens of strikes on airfields, ammunition depots, and enemy columns. In Chernihiv region, the “Tochka-U” missiles hit logistical targets, ammunition storage, and enemy vehicles moving toward Kyiv.
“We worked in all directions, as the enemy was everywhere,” one of the officers recalled.
In the east, missiles targeted airfields in Millerovo and large enemy vehicle columns between Luhansk and Donetsk regions. A few cluster warheads destroyed dozens of armored vehicles and hundreds of Russian soldiers. Near Volnovakha, Ukrainian rocketmen destroyed an Il-76 transport plane at the Taganrog airfield, along with its personnel.
In the south, the brigade units held off the advance from Crimea, launching strikes on the enemy and changing positions after each strike. “We managed to stop the enemy’s advance near Voznesensk,” the military personnel said.
The intense workload led to a shortage of missiles, but engineers and soldiers found a solution. They refurbished Soviet-era stockpiles by adapting warheads from aviation bombs and restored mass production in less than a month.
“Every day meant dozens of destroyed targets—from supply depots and vehicles to landing ships and enemy bases,” the brigade recalled.
During the combat operations, the 19th Rocket Brigade “Sviata Varvara” carried out dozens of successful launches, hitting targets such as Chornobaivka, Snake Island, the “Saratov” landing ship, Russian airfields, and logistical centers.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Forces launched overnight drone strikes on several Russian targets, including an oil terminal in the occupied city of Feodosia and military logistics sites in the Donetsk region.
-f223fd1ef983f71b86a8d8f52216a8b2.jpg)
