Russian forces have taken management of Ukraine’s second greatest energy plant – and are pushing “maximum troops” into three key southern areas.
The daring strikes got here amid expectations of a Ukrainian counter-offensive, with president Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowing to recapture the southern metropolis of Kherson, which fell to Russia within the early days of the conflict.
Russian-backed forces claimed on Wednesday to have seized the Soviet-era coal-fired Vuhlehirsk energy plant intact, in what was Moscow’s first vital achieve in additional than three weeks.
However, Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, described it as merely “a tiny tactical advantage” for Russia.
Moscow confirmed it was pushing forward with a “massive redeployment” of troops to 3 southern areas – Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
Unverified stories claimed Russian forces had attacked town of Mykolaiv with a number of rocket launchers.
But Ukrainian forces within the south stated they’d killed 66 enemy troops and destroyed three tanks and two arms dumps up to now 24 hours.
Reuters information company additionally stated Ukraine had shelled an essential bridge straddling the Dnipro river in Kherson, closing it to site visitors.
Undeterred, Russian officers stated they might merely flip as an alternative to pontoon bridges and ferries to get forces throughout.
In his nightly deal with to his nation, President Zelenskyy stated: “We are doing everything to ensure the occupying forces do not have any logistical opportunities in our country.”
Gas stand-off
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February in what Moscow calls a “special military operation” to demilitarise its neighbour.
Ukraine and its allies name the invasion an unprovoked conflict of aggression.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated he plans to have a telephone dialog with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov – the primary between the 2 diplomats since earlier than the beginning of the conflict.
However, Mr Blinken burdened the decision, anticipated to be within the coming days, wouldn’t be “a negotiation about Ukraine”. Any talks on ending the conflict have to be between Kyiv and Moscow, he stated.
One of the themes regarded as on the desk is a US supply to Russia for it to launch WNBA star Brittney Griner and
former US marine Paul Whelan, each presently in Russian jails.
Meanwhile, Russia diminished gasoline flows to Europe on Wednesday in an vitality stand-off with the European Union.
Source: information.sky.com”