As Kyiv’s forces attempt to retake the Kherson region, Ukrainian artillery on Wednesday destroyed a crucial bridge in Moscow-controlled territory in south Ukraine.
Hours prior to the opening in Istanbul of a combined observation center to track Ukrainian grain exports that have been obstructed by Kremlin vessels, the Antonivskiy bridge over the Dnipro River was attacked.
After the European Union agreed on a plan to reduce its usage this winter, German officials said that Russian energy giant Gazprom had severely reduced gas exports to Europe via the Nord Stream pipeline to approximately 20% of capacity.
The bridge had been hit overnight, and traffic had been stopped, according to Kirill Stremousov, the deputy head of the regional authority in Kherson that Russia had placed.
However, he made an effort to minimize the harm, stating that the attack would not “in any way” impact how the hostilities would turn out.
UKRAINE ATTACKS A BRIDGE IN KHERSON HOLD BY RUSSIAN
The secret military operation is still underway.
In a video uploaded to social media, Stremousov used the Kremlin’s chosen language to describe their invasion.
In the past few weeks, Ukrainian forces have been regaining ground in the Kherson region, which fell to Russian forces easily and quickly after their invasion began on February 24.
Their counteroffensive, assisted by long-range artillery from the West, has brought their forces closer to Kherson city, whose pre-war population was less than 300,000.
“Depart Kherson,”
Kherson will “certainly” be freed by the end of September, according to Ukrainian officials in the area who claim their forces have switched from a defensive to an offensive strategy in the Black Sea region.
Russian military should evacuate Kherson as soon as it’s safe to do so.
Perhaps the third warning won’t be given.
Mykhaylo Podolyak, a presidential advisor for Ukraine, tweeted after the attack.
In order to manage the restart of grain shipments over the Black Sea, the United Nations, Turkey, Russia, and Ukraine are expected to open a coordination center in Istanbul later on Wednesday.
Last week, the two sides reached an agreement on a mechanism to release millions of tonnes of grain held hostage by a Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports; however, within 24 hours, Russian strikes on Ukraine’s Odessa port called the agreement into question.
While certain that it is still getting ready for the first ships to depart, Kyiv announced on Monday that it hoped to resume exports “this week.”
Food imports have become unreasonably expensive for some of the world’s poorest countries as a result of the suspension of shipments from two of the major grain producers in the world.
Erdogan wants Turkey, which has cordial relations with both Moscow and Kiev, at the center of diplomatic attempts to put an end to the five-month conflict.
Erdogan and Vladimir Putin’s previously arranged meeting will take place on Friday in the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi, according to Russian news outlets quoting Moscow’s embassy in Ankara.
Tossed into the barn
The eastern Donbas region has seen heavy fighting as Ukrainian forces have increased pressure on Russian positions in the south.
In Bakhmut, one of the few towns in the Donbas still under Ukrainian control, AFP journalists heard and witnessed occasional artillery fire as well as a house that had been shelled by Russia.
“I was inside the barn and prepared to leave.
A whistle was audible. And I have no memory of anything.
I was propelled into the barn by the explosion wave as it burst.
Roman, 51, spoke to AFP.
On social media, the leader of the Donetsk region in Donbas claimed that Russian artillery had struck a hotel.
According to early reports, both dead and injured individuals had been reported as a result of the attacks.
Germany’s energy authority reported that gas supplies over the crucial Nord Stream pipeline had reduced to 20% of capacity on Wednesday from 40%, further exacerbating an energy crisis in Europe brought on by the conflict.
EU nations have disputed Gazprom’s assertions that there are technical issues, and they charge that the Kremlin is restricting supply in revenge for Western sanctions related to Moscow’s conflict in Ukraine.
In response, the 27-nation union on Tuesday decided on a plan to cut gas usage by 15% this winter in order to cease its reliance on Russia.