Ukraine war in news ticker: London: Russia now without influence | Zelensky talks about a difficult situation in Odessa

Yesterday, 05:13

Russian and Ukrainian troops engaged in heavy fighting in eastern Ukraine. Russian troops continued their advances near Bagmut and Avdivka in the Donbass on Saturday, while Ukrainian troops shelled several Russian-held towns. Explosions were reported from Crimea, when Russian anti-aircraft defenses went into action there, for as yet unspecified reasons.

Fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine – Russians change tactics

“Donbass is the main frontline of Ukraine’s struggle for independence,” Serhiy Cherevatyy, spokesman for the Eastern Military Group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said on television on Saturday. So the center of the fighting is the traffic junction of Bakmut and the small town of Avdivka. “The adversaries have changed their tactics,” Serewati said. Instead of attacks by large divisions, there were now attacks by small groups, above all by the mercenary “Wagner” supported by barrel and rocket artillery. “We analyze this tactic and find an antidote for every military poison.”

The Russian military had earlier announced its offensive in the region. “In the Donetsk region, Russian units continued their attacks and pushed the enemy out of their strongholds,” military spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in Moscow on Saturday. Positions were also captured in the north between the small towns of Creminna and Lyman. The information could not be independently verified. Reports have circulated for weeks that the Ukrainian army is on the defensive in the Donetsk region, trying to hold its defense lines east of the industrial city of Donetsk and the city of Sloviansk-Kramadorsk.

Officials: Ukrainian rocket launcher attacks on Donetsk

According to Russian officials, Ukrainian forces fired rockets at Donetsk several times on Saturday. A bus station and a school in the center were also hit, Russian state agency TASS said. Donetsk is the largest city in the region of the same name, which was declared an independent people’s republic by Moscow-backed separatists. Meanwhile, Moscow has annexed the region in violation of international law. Russia attacked the neighboring country in late February.

Report: Deaths after rocket attack in Melitopol

According to preliminary reports, two people were killed and two others were wounded in an attack by Ukrainian artillery on the city of Melitopol in southeastern Ukraine, which is occupied by Russian troops. According to Doss, a representative of the occupation administration, Vladimir Rokov, said that a restaurant was hit during the attack. According to his account, several projectiles were fired at the city from Himars rocket launchers. The convalescent home was also attacked.

Anti-aircraft defenses are deployed in Russian-occupied areas

According to military information, anti-aircraft defense was activated on Saturday evening in areas of Ukraine occupied by Russian troops. DASS reported that there were reports of air defense deployments from both Simferopol in Crimea and Melitopol in southeastern Ukraine. Local residents reported on social media that several bombs exploded in the sky. There is no information on the nature of the potential attack or its impact.

Estonia demands more arms supplies to Ukraine

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas urges Germany and other allies to continue providing arms to Ukraine. “I call on all allies, including Germany, to send Ukraine everything it needs to defend itself,” the German press agency quoted the prime minister as saying. “If all allies had sent arms in January or February, many lives would have been saved.” Unlike Germany, Estonia, one of the smallest EU countries, had supplied weapons to Ukraine before Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine began on February 23.

Selensky is a Nobel laureate

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recognized the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to his compatriot Olexandra Matviychuk’s human rights organization as a special event. “This year, for the first time, our Ukrainian language, the language of Ukraine, was heard at the ceremony – thanks to the Center for Civil Rights and its director, Ms. Madvichuk, who won the Peace Prize,” Zelensky said. In his daily video address on Saturday evening. Human rights activists from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Saturday.

EU countries accept 18 billion package for Ukraine without Hungary

EU countries agree to $1 billion package for Ukraine However, the German Press Agency learned from EU sources that the decision was taken on Saturday against Hungary’s vote. According to the decision, 18 billion euros will be given to Kiev in the coming year. According to the EU Commission’s original proposal, a unanimous decision of the 27 EU countries was indeed necessary for the aid package. However, Budapest blocked the package due to a dispute over the freezing of EU billions for Hungary. That is why the current Czech EU Council Presidency is looking for a way to decide on aid without Hungary.

That will be important on Sunday

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky on Sunday. Erdogan announced in Istanbul that the grain agreement aims to “strengthen” the corridor for cargo ships in the Black Sea. He did not elaborate.