Kharkiv’s defense on February 24: why the city was divided into seven sectors and how enemy tanks were destroyed told by Sergei Melnyk

14 January 19:22

Brigadier General of Justice Serhiy Melnyk was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine in 2024. Today, his areas of responsibility include such areas of work as military education and science, protection of servicemen’s rights, recruiting, training, physical education, humanitarian support and social support.

Prior to his appointment to the IOU, Sergei Melnyk led the defense of the city of Kharkiv from the beginning of the full-scale invasion. About how he managed to defend the regional center important for the country, he told in an interview with the publication ArmyInform, informs Komersant ukrainskyi Komersant ukrainskyi.

Brigadier General of Justice Sergei Melnyk said

“Kharkiv has withstood thanks to the incredible courage, determination and dedication of our military, volunteers and ordinary residents of the city. From the first hours of the large-scale invasion everyone united around one goal – to stop the enemy. Kharkiv citizens massively participated in the defense: helped at checkpoints, provided the military with food and necessary things, worked under constant shelling.

An important role was also played by a clear organization of the city defense system. The enemy attacked from all directions, launched massive strikes on key infrastructure, tried to destroy the air defense system and command posts of our units. We promptly divided the city into seven defense sectors, and each sector had clear tasks and coordinates for defense,” explained Sergei Melnik.

According to him, the first morning of the war was indicative.

“At 9:30 am on February 24, enemy tanks had already appeared in the vicinity of Kharkov, but at 9:43 they were destroyed by our forces. The enemy suffered significant losses and was unable to advance further.

For the next few days, Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups tried to infiltrate the city in stolen civilian cars. They were in plain clothes and tried to gain a foothold in residential neighborhoods before the main forces approached. However, this plan failed. Our mobile fire groups effectively identified and destroyed the saboteurs,” the military officer said.

Sergei Melnik said that only in the first five days there were dozens of combat clashes between our units and Russian forces.

“Every fighter, every officer and every volunteer realized that not only the fate of the city, but also the future of the entire country depends on his actions. It is thanks to this unity, determination and effective organization of defense that Kharkiv stood firm and did not allow the enemy to achieve its goals,” he stressed.

The military man adds that the main advantage of our forces was that “we fought on our own land.”

“It is not just a territory – it is our home, every corner of which is familiar to the smallest detail. Our military defended every scrap, every street, every house. And in each of these houses, the enemy could be met not only by the military, but also by civilians ready to resist.

The second important factor was the unconventional, bold and proactive decisions of Ukrainian commanders. They acted proactively, used maneuverable tactics, struck at the enemy’s vulnerable points, preventing him from gaining a foothold in important positions,” explains Sergey Melnik.

Another advantage the general notes is the high level of cohesion of Ukrainian society.

“In the first weeks of the war, the country united in a way that rarely happens in history. This was felt by the military on the front lines, it gave them the strength to stand to the last. Every Ukrainian, regardless of his status, played an important role in the common cause.

Special mention should be made of volunteer help, which came practically from the first days of the war. Volunteers provided the military with medicines, necessary equipment, means of communication, transportation and machinery. International aid also began to arrive very quickly, and this became an important factor in strengthening our defensive capabilities,” he said.

In general, it was a combination of these factors – motivation, flexible tactical decisions, public support, volunteer movement and international assistance – that became the basis of our resilience in the most difficult first months of the war, the military officer summarized.

Recall, the Ukrainian defense forces are holding back the offensive of the Russian occupiers in Kharkiv region. According to the General Staff, today, January 14, in the Kharkiv direction the activity of enemy aircraft resulted in strikes on Volchansk and Veterinary.

On the Kupyansk direction, the Russian occupants twice attacked the positions of the Defense Forces near Novaya Krugliakovka and Tabayevka, where fighting continues.

Віра Захарова
Editor