.
.
by Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans.
Softcover (8.2×11.7 inches). 72 pages. 2025.
Subtitle: The Battle of Chernihiv: February-March 2022
The big Russian blitz towards Kyiv planned to roll through Chernihiv, a city of about 300,000 NNE of Kyiv. Artillery barrages on Russian concentrations delayed the attack of the 41 Combined Arms Army and the 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army.
The Ukrainian 1st Tank Brigade and 58th Motorized Infantry Brigade defended tenaciously and launched the occasional sharp counter-attack. Numbers did eventually tell and the Russians encircled the city and sieged the units within. By July, Russian losses were so severe and progress so slow, the order to retreat was given. The Ukrainians recaptured territory and weaponry.
A full OOB down to brigades is available for both sides, but specific numbers and TO&E remain elusive. Even the casualties sustained by both sides is at best vague. The Ukrainians lost about 400 civilians and 200 soldiers killed (although this doesn’t quite tally with the reported 73 killed and 202 wounded of the 119 Independent Brigade alone). Russian losses are estimated at 50%, but precise figures are missing. The Russians don’t want to report actual casualties — although Russian President Putin is allegedly quoted as saying losses don’t matter as long as victory is achieved.
Plenty of battlefield accounts, from skirmish to formation level, populate the text. You’ll be able to pull some scenarios from the text, but you’ll need a better — or at least more speculative — reference manual to get actual numbers.
The booklet contains 70 color photos, three color illustrations, five black and white photos, four color maps, one black and white map, 15 color profiles of vehicles, three color profiles of uniforms, one color profile of a jet (SU-34), one color profile of Mi-8MT helicopter, and one color profile of Bayractar TB2 drone.
The first 10 volumes proved well done and the eleventh in a fine addition to this series by concentrating on one battle that was indicative of the early 2022 Russian attack.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
