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Ussia has not made “minor” strides in the last 24 hours in Ukraine as Kyiv forces counterattack Vladimir Putin’s invaders, the UK’s defense chiefs said on Saturday.
They said Russia’s air and naval forces had failed to establish control and that heavy fighting continued in Mariupol, despite the Kremlin’s claim last week that it had captured the southern port city.
In their latest intelligence update on Saturday morning, defense chiefs said: “Despite increased activity, Russian forces have not made significant progress in the last 24 hours as Ukrainian counterattacks continue to hamper their efforts.
“Russia’s air and naval forces have not established control in either area due to the effectiveness of Ukraine’s air and naval defenses, reducing their ability to make significant progress.
“Despite the conquest of Mariupol by their countries, heavy fighting continues, thwarting Russian attempts to take over the city, thus further delaying the desired progress in Donbass.
This comes hours after Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky warned that Russia’s invasion of his country was just the beginning and that Moscow intended to take over other countries.
“All nations that, like us, believe in the victory of life over death must fight us. They have to help us because we are first in line. And who will come next? “Zelenski said in a late-night video address.
Russia’s deputy military district deputy commander, Rustam Minekayev, was quoted as saying by Russian state news agencies on Friday that full control of southern Ukraine would give it access to Transnistria, a breakaway Russian-occupied part of Moldova to the west.
This will cut off the entire coast of Ukraine and means that Russian forces will be pushed hundreds of miles to the west, past the large Ukrainian coastal cities of Nikolaev and Odessa.
The statement was one of the most detailed about Moscow’s ambitions in Ukraine and suggests that Russia has no plans to end its offensive there soon.
Ukraine’s defense ministry said Minekayev’s comments showed that Russia was no longer hiding its intentions.
Vladimir Zelensky spoke from Kyiv in a late-night video address on Friday
/ AP
Twitter says Moscow has now acknowledged that the goal of the “second phase” of the war is not to defeat the mythical Nazis, but simply to occupy eastern and southern Ukraine. Imperialism as it is. ”
Moldova’s foreign ministry said it had summoned Moscow’s ambassador on Friday to express “deep concern” over the general’s comments.
It says Moldova is neutral. Last month, Moldova applied to join the European Union, outlining a pro-Western course accelerated by Russia’s invasion.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on whether Russia has expanded its goals or how Moscow sees the political future of southern Ukraine.
A senior EU official said the next few weeks are likely to be crucial. “We will probably see a very significant increase in the intensity of Russian military attacks on the east (and coast),” he told reporters.
The Ukrainian military said Russia was continuing its offensive operations in the east, trying to establish full control of Donetsk and Luhansk and secure a land connection with Crimea.
Russian forces are also partially blocking the city of Kharkiv, according to an update Saturday morning from Ukraine’s General Staff.
In Nikolaev, 87 civilians were killed in the raid, including one child, Mayor Alexander Senkevich said late Friday on his Facebook page. Nearly 400 people were injured. Reports from both sides have not been independently verified.
In Geneva, the UN Office of Human Rights said there was growing evidence of Russian war crimes, including indiscriminate shelling and executions. It says Ukraine also appears to have used weapons with indiscriminate effects.
Russia denies attacking civilians and says without evidence that signs of atrocities committed by its troops have been falsified.
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