Maksym Kzytskyi, the governor of western Ukraine’s Lviv region, reported that there were no air raid warnings in the area overnight. 229 people arrived in the region via evacuation trains from eastern Ukraine, while 787 left for Poland.
Oleh Synyehubov posted a message on Telegram Thursday morning, saying “The Russians have struck Kharkiv”, and instructing the people to remain in shelters.
He said that on Wednesday, Russian missiles struck Kharkiv, a city in eastern Ukraine, killing three people, a man and a woman, as well as a 13-year old boy.
Vitaliy Kim posted a status report for his region Thursday, in which he stated that “villages located along the demarcation lines remain under constant bombardment.”
The latest British intelligence report states that Russian and separatist forces are continuing to launch small-scale assaults along the front line in Donbas and are also closing on Ukraine’s second largest power plant, Vuhlehirska.
The UK Ministry of Defense has said that Russian forces are likely to be closing in on Ukraine’s 2nd largest power plant, Vuhlehirska. This is located 50km north east of Donetsk.
“Russia prioritizes the capture of critical infrastructure such as power plants.
“However, they are probably also trying to break through Vuhlehirska as part of their efforts to regain the momentum on the southern pincer in its advance towards the important cities of Kramatorsk or Sloviansk.”
Ukrainian officials claim that Russian forces destroyed two schools overnight on Wednesday in the Donetsk town of Kramatorsk, and Kostiantynivka.
Pavlo Kyrylenko shared photos of destruction in a Telegram message.
He said that “Russian occupiers destroyed today two schools – in Kramatorsk, and Kostiantynivka”, adding that an industrial zone in Kramatorsk had also been hit.
CIA: Around 15,000 Russians killed
William Burns, CIA director, said that the number of Russian casualties in Ukraine has reached 15,000 so far.
“The latest estimates by the US intelligence community are that (Russian forces) have been killed in the neighborhood of 15,000 and perhaps three times as many wounded. Burns said that the losses were significant.
“And the Ukrainians have also suffered – probably less than that.” But there were still many casualties.”
Even in peacetime, Russia keeps its military deaths a secret and hasn’t updated its official casualty numbers often during the war. Ukraine has also stated that it will not release the number of Ukrainian casualties. However, Kyiv claimed in June that between 100 and 200 Ukrainian soldiers were killed every day.
Russia may try to gain more territory on the frontlines
Sergei Lavrov, the Russian FM, said that Russia may be looking to gain more territory in Ukraine. Lavrov said, “Now the geography has changed.” “It is not only Donetsk or Luhansk. It’s Kherson and Zaporizhzhia and a number other territories.”
US officials said that they had seen signs that Russia was preparing to formally annexe territory it has taken in Ukraine.
“We have repeatedly stated that annexation through force would be a gross breach of the UN Charter and we will not let it go unchallenged.” We will not let it go unpunished,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a daily briefing Wednesday.
US to provide more weapons support
Lloyd Austin, the US Defense Secretary, announced that the United States will be sending four more Himars (high mobility artillery missile systems) to Ukraine.
Austin said, at the beginning of a virtual Ukraine meeting with allies: “(We will) keep finding innovative ways of maintaining our long-term assistance for the brave men & women of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and we will tailor out assistance to ensure Ukraine has the technology and ammunition to defend itself.”
Mark Milley, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a press conference held after the meeting that Ukraine had used Himars missiles to strike Russian command and control sites, logistic networks, and air defense sites inside Ukraine.
Austin said that the new package will also include rounds for Multiple Launch Rocket Systems and artillery munitions.
Since the beginning of the war, the United States has provided $8bn worth of security assistance. This includes $2.2bn over the last month.
By Ana Dumbadze
Read More @ georgiatoday.ge