This week, fighting continued to rage all along the front lines. Russia continued to pummel Ukrainian cities and towns deep in the rear with missiles and drones, often targeting eastern and southern parts of the country.
Civilians largely suffer from the attacks. A Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia with multiple launch rockets early on Tuesday killed a man and injured at least 20 others, including four children. A Russian drone damaged a Red Cross vehicle in Kherson on Monday, injuring two aid workers.
Ukraine continues to carry out strikes deep into Russia, targeting oil and gas infrastructure. On Thursday, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces hit a major oil refinery in Volgograd. The facility has reportedly halted operations after the attack. The fuel shortage has sharpened in Russia, pushing the prices higher.
Russia aims for Ukraine’s capitulation, not peace talks, the Institute for the Study of War said in a recent report. Seventy-five per cent of Ukrainians deem Russia’s terms for a peace deal as totally unacceptable, a poll finds.
Poland continues to build up its military capabilities due to the Russian threat. The country’s foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski said the West should begin shooting down Russian drones and missiles over Ukraine. Poland holds major drills with Abrams tanks, F-35 and F-16 aircraft.
The European Parliament opened a permanent office in Kyiv, its president, Roberta Metsola said on a visit to the Ukrainian capital on Wednesday.
Ukraine counterattacks in Donetsk region.
Ukrainian forces are conducting a counteroffensive operation in the Pokrovsk and Dobropillya directions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said in a Thursday video address recorded while he was visiting frontline troops in Donetsk region. He also said fierce battles were raging and that Russian forces took “significant losses” there.
Zelenskyi said he had heard a report by Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyi saying that Ukrainian troops had liberated 160 square kilometers of land and cleared more than 170 square kilometers from Russian forces.