2023-08-19 14:08:37
The conflict does not diminish in intensity. This Saturday, the Russian army claims to have “completely eliminated” around 150 Ukrainian soldiers who were trying to cross the Dnieper River, the front line in southern Ukraine. Kyiv forces were trying to penetrate the defenses of Moscow. “The Russian military defeated an enemy detachment of about 150 people who were trying to gain a foothold on the left bank of the Dnieper,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement. Scattered enemy groups have been completely eliminated. »
This announcement comes shortly after a meeting, announced this morning by the Kremlin, between Vladimir Putin and the generals in charge of the military operation in Ukraine in the Russian city of Rostov-on-the-Don, not far from the Ukrainian border. Russian authorities did not say when the meeting took place, but footage released by state media suggests it was held overnight in the southern city.
Ukrainian drone attack foiled
The Russian army also claimed on Saturday to have thwarted a Ukrainian drone attack targeting a military airfield in the Novgorod region in northwestern Russia, far enough from the border with Ukraine. “Today, around 10 a.m. Moscow time, the Kiev regime carried out a terrorist attack using a helicopter-like drone on a military airfield in the Novgorod region,” the Russian Ministry of Security said. the Defense in a press release.
According to him, the drone was shot down “by small arms”. “Following the attack (…) a fire broke out in the parking lot of the planes, which was quickly extinguished by the firefighters”, continued the ministry which specified that a plane had been damaged, but that there were no casualties.
On the Ukrainian side, the armed forces also announced this morning that they had destroyed “fifteen Russian drones” overnight.
Deadly bombardment in northern Ukraine
Russia today bombed downtown Cherniguiv in northern Ukraine, causing “deaths” according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. “A Russian missile hit right in the city center, in our Cherniguiv,” wrote the Ukrainian president on Telegram: “A square, the polytechnic university, a theater. An ordinary Saturday, which Russia has turned into a day of pain and loss. There are dead, there are injured. »
Ukraine: The glorious Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered a heroic and successful attack on the dreaded Chernihiv Drama Theater and other dangerous nearby civilian targets ???? pic.twitter.com/dF1wz5NK7F
— Jean-Marc Lafon (@JM_Lafon) August 19, 2023
According to an initial report communicated by the Minister of the Interior, Igor Klymenko, this offensive left at least 5 dead and 37 injured, including 11 children.
Shortly before, the local authorities had mentioned the firing of “a ballistic missile” and urged the population to “stay safe” in this city spared from large-scale attacks after being briefly invaded by Russian forces in beginning of the invasion in February 2022.
Zelensky in Sweden
This bombardment occurred when Volodymyr Zelensky was visiting Sweden, a country that has provided Kiev with thousands of anti-tank weapons and wants to join NATO despite Moscow’s opposition.
The President of Ukraine announced on Xthe ex-Twitter, that he had arrived there to hold “talks” with the Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, and the royal family, as well as representatives of political parties.
Starting talks with @SwedishPM.
We have a broad agenda, but defense cooperation is one of the top priorities. Including powerful Swedish CV-90s.
Our warriors are already putting them to good use on the battlefield. We also intend to produce them in Ukraine.
— Volodymyr Zelensky (@ZelenskyyUa) August 19, 2023
Among the topics discussed, “defence cooperation is one of the main priorities” for the Ukrainian Head of State, who also refers to the Swedish CV-90 tanks: “Our warriors are already making good use of them on the field of battle. We also intend to produce them in Ukraine. »
combat aircraft
The move follows a string of battlefield successes claimed this week by Kiev and as the United States on Friday approved Denmark and the Netherlands to send F-16s to Ukraine.
A spokesman for the US State Department said that Denmark and the Netherlands had received “formal assurances”: “In this way, Ukraine will be able to take full advantage of its new capabilities as soon as the first group of pilots will have completed their training. The F-16s will contribute to Ukraine’s defense and deterrence capabilities. »
On X, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov welcomed this “great news from our friends in the United States”. Since the start of the Russian invasion, kyiv has been tirelessly calling for Western aircraft to fight Moscow’s forces, which are vastly superior at this stage.
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