Day 428 since the beginning of the war: Ukraine raised an alarm in all regions during the night. In Bachmut there is a fight for supply routes. All information in the blog.
The most important things at a glance
Resnikow: “Once God’s will is there, we will do it”
1:11 p.m.: According to the government in Kiev, preparations for the expected counter-offensive by Ukraine are nearing completion. “The preparations are coming to an end”said Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on Friday at a press conference in Kiev.
“The equipment was promised, prepared and partly delivered.” With regard to Ukraine’s expected spring offensive, he emphasized “in the broadest sense” be Ukraine ready. “As soon as God’s will is there, the weather and the decision of the commanders, we will do it”said Resnikov, without giving any further details.
Russia to use new tactics in airstrikes
7.41 a.m.: The Russian military is said to be using new tactics in its airstrikes to bypass Ukraine’s anti-aircraft defenses. This is reported by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). According to this, the attack on the city of Mykolaiv on Thursday showed that Russian soldiers repeatedly changed the launch height and trajectory during a rocket fire so that the rockets could not be intercepted.
In fact, successful Russian airstrikes had recently been reported less frequently. The ISW had previously declared the Russian tactic of deliberately destroying Ukraine’s power supply with rocket attacks to have failed.
According to Ukrainian sources, six people died in the attack in Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine on Wednesday night. 23 other people were injured. Four Russian Kalibr rockets hit the city.
Air alert throughout Ukraine
4.20 a.m.: There was an air raid warning throughout Ukraine for about two hours last night. This is reported by the Interfax Ukraine news agency. In addition, explosions were recorded in regions far apart, such as Dnipro, Kremenchuk and Poltava in central Ukraine and in Mikolayiv in the south. There are also reports on the Internet of explosions in and around Kiev and unidentified flying objects moving west.
According to Dnipro Mayor Boris Filatov, a young woman and a three-year-old child have been killed during a Russian missile attack. Ihor Taburets, head of the Cherkassy region administration, confirmed two cruise missile hits in Uman – one Russian missile apparently hit a nine-storey residential building, another a warehouse, he said. The alarm was lifted again early in the morning.
Ukraine: Russian troops attack supply routes in Bakhmut
2.21 am: According to the Ukrainian military, Russian forces are trying to cut off important supply routes and communication routes to the embattled city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. The spokesman for the Ukrainian armed forces in the east, Serhi Cherevatji, said on Ukrainian television that there had been thirteen battles around Bakhmut in the last 24 hours. With constant counterattacks, the Ukrainian troops could have ensured that supplies could be delivered and the wounded evacuated. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported successes against Ukrainian positions in various sectors. The information provided by both sides could not be verified.
