Day 423 since the beginning of the war: Rocket attacks are said to have taken place on Kharkiv. Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Melnyk is calling for more military aid. All information in the blog.
The most important things at a glance
ISW: Ukrainian troops advance near Cherson – Russia denies
2:34 p.m.: According to analyzes by western experts, the Ukrainian troops have now also pushed forward in the partially liberated Cherson region to the bank of the Dnipro river previously controlled by Russian occupiers. According to the US Institute for War Studies (ISW), published geodata and texts by Russian military bloggers show that the Ukrainian armed forces have taken positions on the left or east bank in the Kherson region. However, the extent and goals of these Ukrainian successes, which have been registered for the first time, are unclear.
During a Ukrainian offensive in the fall, the Russian military had completely withdrawn from the region’s capital, Cherson, and parts of the region from the west bank of the Dnipro. The aim was to prevent the Ukrainian troops from advancing to the other side of the river.
The new development would indicate a loss of control by Russian units in the region. Accordingly, the Russian occupiers could only concentrate on cities. However, Russia’s governor Vladimir Saldo denied the push on Telegram. “Our military fully controls the territory.” Enemy sabotage groups might land and take selfies, “before they are destroyed or pushed into the water by our fighters”.
Experts: Recommendations from the military do not get through to Putin
11:33 am: The US Institute for War Studies (ISW) assumes that the Russian military will not get through to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin with recommendations to concentrate on defending positions. Instead of focusing on gathering forces against the background of the planned large-scale Ukrainian offensive, there have been frequent attacks that have resulted in losses that hardly bring any territorial gains, it said.
“The continued insistence on Russian offensives in eastern Ukraine suggests that the group seeking to freeze the war along the current front lines has not fully convinced Putin of their point of view”the analysis said.
The ISW experts suspect that this is one of the reasons why the Defense Ministry in Moscow has repeatedly openly come to terms with the head of the Russian private army, Wagner, in order to use him to get to Putin. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin is considered a close confidante of Putin – and a man of open words.
Ex-oligarch Khodorkovsky on Kremlin boss: “What Putin fears most is betrayal”
11:28 am: Once Mikhail Khodorkovsky was a Russian oligarch with the best connections in the Kremlin, today he is committed to Ukraine and against the dictator Putin. How does he view his homeland? Read the t-online interview here.
London: Russia is courting “real men” for the military
10.18 am: In its search for military volunteers, according to the British government, Russia is appealing to the “masculinity” possible recruits. The Ministry of Defense in Moscow is recruiting volunteers with a ubiquitous campaign on social media, billboards and television, the British Ministry of Defense said in its regular intelligence update on Twitter on Sunday.
The new ads speak accordingly “masculine pride” potential recruits and “real men” at. The financial benefits of recruitment would also be highlighted.
The night: Ukraine demands tenfold military aid
5.30 a.m.: Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk has called for a tenfold increase in military aid to his country. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would like sanctions against Russia to be better enforced. Brazil’s leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva continues to push for peace talks during visit to Europe. Read more about last night’s events here.
