This week, intense fighting continued to rage west of Avdiyivka and around Chasiv Yar, in Donetsk region. Russia continued to strike Ukrainian cities and towns far behind the front lines and ones that sit close to frontline areas.
Russia pounded Odesa with ballistic missiles for three days in a row, causing civilian casualties. Glide bombs are now a near-daily occurrence in Kharkiv. Late in the week, Russia dropped two precision-guided bombs on Derhachi, in Kharkiv region. Eight children and a 75-year-old man were injured.
Russia is fighting for control of the supply lines near Chasiv Yar. The situation there is dynamic. Also this week, the Ryazan oil refinery in Russia was hit by Ukrainian drones. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, F-16 fighter jets could start to arrive in the country after Orthodox Easter (this year, it falls on May 5).
Ukraine works on a bilateral security agreement with the U.S. Polish farmers have unblocked all border crossings with Ukraine. Some allies have lifted restrictions on Ukraine using weapons to target military sites inside Russia, Latvia’s Foreign Minister said.
Ukraine has right to use UK-provided weapons to strike targets inside Russia, British Foreign Secretary says on visit to Kyiv
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron promised three billion pounds (USD 3.74 billion) of annual military aid for Ukraine for “as long as it takes” on Thursday, adding that London had no objection to the weapons being used inside Russia, according to Reuters. Cameron said Ukraine had a right to use the weapons provided by London to strike targets inside Russia, and that it was up to Kyiv whether to do so.
