While Russian troops are stepping up their pressure on the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, particularly around Kharkiv in the Northeast, the French and Ukrainian presidents spoke on the phone this Saturday, April 30. While Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his counterpart for “significant shipments of military equipment that contribute to the Ukrainian resistance”Emmanuel Macron, according to a statement from the Elysée, indicated ” that this support will continue to be strengthened, as will the humanitarian assistance provided by France “. He added that “the mission of French experts contributing to the collection of evidence to fight against impunity and enable the work of international justice relating to crimes committed in the context of Russian aggression, will continue”.
Meanwhile, the situation is tense around Karkhiv where the Russians are concentrating their offensive. A situation “ difficile “Admitted Volodymyr Zelensky while ensuring. “But our soldiers are achieving tactical successes”, he said. Violent explosions were heard overnight from Friday to Saturday in Kharkiv, pounded for weeks by Russian artillery. Friday, these bombings had left at least one dead and several injured, according to the regional military administration.
Russian forces in trouble
On the Russian side, some damage is also to be deplored. According to Alexander Bogomaz, who spoke on Telegram, the governor of the Russian region of Bryansk, located in the north of Ukraine, “Russian air defense systems detected an aircraft of the Ukrainian Armed Forces” Saturday at 6:50 a.m. local time. “During the execution of actions aimed at preventing the object from entering the (Russian) territory, two shells hit the settlement of Zhecha, Starodubsky district”in the Briansk region, without causing any casualties but where buildings of an oil terminal in particular were damaged by the shock wave.
In an interview published Saturday by the New China Agency, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called “The United States and NATO” to stop arms deliveries to Ukraine “if they are really interested in solving the crisis”. The military aid brought to kyiv by the West has greatly increased since the beginning of the conflict and on the ground, the difficulties seem to be multiplying for the Russian troops.