On 18 March, a new Ukrainian attack on Chornobaivka targeted the position of the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army, allegedly killing its commander, lieutenant general Andrey Mordvichev. Russian sources did not confirm his death and on 28 March, footage appeared showing Ramzan Kadyrov, Head of the Chechen Republic, meeting with Mordvichev and other commanders in Mariupol. Later, BBC News Russian confirmed Mordvichev was still alive. On 19 March, the next day, Ukraine again attacked Russian forces at Chornobaivka. Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to the Office of the President of Ukraine, stated "Simply do not laugh. We caught them again in Chornobaivka. For the sixth time." Two days later, on 21 March, Ukrainian forces again attacked the airport, which Arestovych announced by saying "Get together. Now you will need all your courage. Chornobaivka. The seventh time." Satellite images obtained from Planet Labs by The New York Times showed that, as a result of continuous attacks, between 15 and 21 March, Russia had withdrawn most of its helicopters from Chornobaivka's airport to other airfields, although it still had ground units present at the airbase.
