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Russia’s army has gone on the offensive in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian president’s motto is to stop this advance at all costs. The news at a glance.
Kiev – The latest Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine is met with determined resistance. Stopping the enemy troops remains the most urgent task for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as he said in his evening video address: “Completing this task depends on every soldier, every non-commissioned officer and every officer.”
Russian troops had advanced across the country’s border in a broad offensive towards the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. “Our troops have been carrying out counterattacks there for two days to defend Ukrainian territory,” said Zelensky, describing the situation. The Ukrainian military leadership has already sent reinforcements towards Kharkiv.
“Smashing the Russian offensive plans is now task number one,” said Zelensky, his motto for the next few days and weeks. It’s about destroying Russian equipment and “neutralizing” the Russian aggressors. “The occupier must feel that it will not be easy for him anywhere in Ukraine.”
Massive artillery attacks on border villages reported
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the offensive by its troops in the border area near Kharkiv. Moscow said the soldiers had occupied five Ukrainian border villages. Striletsche, Krasne, Pylne and Borysivka, which are about 30 kilometers north of Kharkiv near the town of Lipzy, were mentioned, as well as Ohirtseve near the city of Vovchansk. According to the Russian interpretation, the residents of these “liberated” towns were taken to safe collection points.
The Ukrainian General Staff did not provide any more detailed information about the current situation on these sectors of the front in its situation report. The regional military chief responsible for Kharkiv reported on Telegram about massive Russian artillery attacks on various villages in the border area. Vovchansk in particular is repeatedly hit by artillery and rockets. There are at least two deaths and numerous injuries among the civilian population.
Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion for more than two years. According to Zelensky, in order to successfully repel the latest major attack, the country needs further support from abroad. “Right now, every anti-aircraft system and missile delivered is a contribution that saves lives and keeps our cities and communities alive,” he wrote on Facebook. “What really helps is weapons actually delivered to Ukraine, not just the announcement of such weapons packages.”
The USA had put together another aid package worth around 400 million US dollars (around 371 million euros). It includes, among other things, ammunition for the Patriot air defense system, additional multiple rocket launchers of the Himars type with ammunition as well as Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and artillery ammunition with calibers of 155 and 105 millimeters. In recent months, the lack of artillery ammunition in particular has led to Ukrainian troops having to abandon positions in the east of the country and withdraw.
Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense celebrates shooting down a fighter jet
Ukrainian air defense reported the downing of a Russian Su-25 fighter jet in the Donetsk region. “The occupiers still haven’t understood that it makes no sense to fly in our airspace,” the responsible unit said on Facebook. According to the daily updated statistics of Russia’s losses in this war published by the Ukrainian military, this would already be the 349th Russian aircraft to destroy Ukrainian anti-aircraft defenses. The information cannot be independently verified.
According to official information, 29 people were injured and one woman was killed in a Ukrainian attack near the border in the southern Russian city of Belgorod and its suburbs, the Russian state agency Tass reported. At least 22 residential buildings were also damaged in the attack, which was not described in detail. This information could not be independently verified either. dpa
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