The Russian army announced this Wednesday the capture of a key stronghold in the southern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia, Robotine, and two other towns in the northeastern region of Kharkivreported the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The objective of this offensive in Zaporizhia was to cut the Russian supply lines in that region and, in the medium term, reach the Sea of Azov, but the Ukrainian troops were unable to even get close to Tokmak, a stronghold from which they would have hammered the Russian positions. .
At the same time, The Ministry of Defense assured that the Sever (North) group managed to conquer the towns of Glubokoye and Lukiantsi.
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Russian troops would also have repelled Ukrainian counterattacks in several towns in Kharkivwhere Moscow has conquered numerous villages located about 40-50 kilometers from the regional capital in recent weeks.
The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, postponed all his international trips this Wednesday – which included a visit to Spain this Friday – due to the bad news from the front.
Zelensky was briefed by the Chief of the General Staff, Anatoly Bargilevich, about the situation on the front, in a meeting that focused on the difficult situation in Kharkiv.
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Ukraine recognized this Wednesday that it has been forced to withdraw from some of the positions it defended on the two axes of the new front opened by Russia in Kharkiv to avoid casualties and occupy new positions.
“About 8,000 people have already been evacuated… The majority are women, the elderly, people with reduced mobility, the disabled and children,” the emergency services indicated on Telegram.
Some 8,000 people have already been evacuated… The majority are women, the elderly, people with reduced mobility, the disabled and children.
“In some areas, near Lukiantsi and Vovchansk, in response to enemy fire and an infantry assault, our units maneuvered in the direction of more favorable positions,” the spokesman for the forces in the region, Nazar Voloshin, told television on Wednesday. .
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To counter renewed Russian attacks, Zelensky urged Western countries on Tuesday to accelerate the supply of weapons after a meeting with the head of US diplomacy, Antony Blinken.
The US Secretary of State is in kyiv on Tuesday and Wednesday to reassure the Ukrainian government about US support after months of uncertainty, and said Washington will be at its side “until Ukraine’s security, sovereignty and capacity to choose their own path are guaranteed.
“The situation is extremely difficult. The enemy is taking positions in the streets,” he said, explaining that he has asked the remaining population to evacuate the area.
The offensive in northern Ukraine took Ukrainian forces by surprise. Several towns have been conquered and at least 7,000 people have been evacuated from the area.
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Some analysts believe that Moscow could thus force Ukraine to divert its troops from other areas of the front line, particularly in the east, such as around the city of Chasiv Yar, in the Donetsk region, where Russia is also advancing.
“The Donetsk and Kharkiv regions are where things are most difficult at the moment,” Zelensky said Tuesday, saying a “notable acceleration of deliveries” of Western weapons is needed.
The slowness of European aid and the cessation of aid from the United States for months due to political dissension have placed Ukraine in a difficult position, without enough men or ammunition against Russia, which resumed the initiative at the end of 2023.
The Ukrainian authorities assure that the city of Kharkiv is not threatened by a ground assault. However, it has been subject to Russian bombing for weeks, which has particularly affected the energy network.
This Wednesday, restrictions on access to electricity began to be lifted throughout the country due to the damage inflicted on infrastructure by Russian attacks in recent months.
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