Ukraine war in Newsblog | Russia’s mercenaries attack each other

Day 425 since the beginning of the war: Ukraine wants to completely rebuild six towns destroyed by the war. Two Russian mercenary groups are arguing over the battle for Bakhmut. All information in the blog.

10:35 p.m.: All boat and ship travel has been banned in the embattled Cherson region in southern Ukraine. The order is for the safety of the civilian population and will initially apply until martial law expires, according to a statement from the regional administration on Tuesday. Exceptions are made only for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and water protection experts. The area borders the Black Sea and is divided by the Dnipro River. The river, which is several hundred meters wide, currently also forms the front line to the Russian-occupied part of the area.

A week ago, the Russian occupiers in Henichesk on the Azov Sea confiscated more than two dozen motor boats for military use.

Last November, Russian troops cleared the areas north of the Dnipro, including Cherson, and blew up several bridges. Since then, there have been regular skirmishes between Ukrainian and Russian troops on the islands in the lower reaches of the river. Several days ago, small-scale landing operations by Ukrainian soldiers on the Russian-controlled south bank were reported. This fueled rumors that the Ukrainian army could also make advances across the Dnipro as part of its announced spring offensive.

9.40 p.m.: According to a Russian media report, a new decree by Russian President Vladimir Putin allows for temporary control of foreign assets. This may happen if Russian assets have been confiscated abroad, reports the Tass news agency.

Accordingly, the decree expressly mentions the Russian division of the German energy supplier Uniper and assets of the Finnish Fortum Oyj.

9:13 p.m.: In a pilot project, the Ukrainian government has announced that six towns destroyed in the war will be rebuilt according to the latest technological and ecological standards. They would be rebuilt “better than before,” said Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Among the settlements is the Kiev suburb of Borodyanka, temporarily occupied by Russian troops, whose ruins became one of the symbols of Russia’s devastating war of aggression against Ukraine.

In addition to Borodyanka, Moschchun (both in the Kiev region), Trostyanets (Sumy region), Posad-Pokrovske (Kherson region), Tsyrkuny (Kharkiv region) and Yahidne (Chernihiv region) are also to be rebuilt according to “new principles”, Shmyhal said. Schmyhal promised that if the experiment was successful, other towns would be built like this. The money will come from a reconstruction fund.

According to Ukrainian estimates, more than 130,000 homes and more than 17,000 apartment buildings have been damaged or destroyed in the 14 months since the Russian invasion. However, the heaviest fighting took place in the territories captured by Russia in eastern Ukraine.

6:29 p.m.: There are said to be clashes between the Russian mercenary troops of the “Wagner Group” and the “Potok Battalion”. Both groups are led by Putin confidants. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozchin is considered a long-time companion; the leader of the battalion is Gazprom boss Alexei Miller, also a friend of Putin.

Fighting for the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut is behind the conflict. The Wagner mercenaries have been fighting there for months, actually wanting to hand over the flanks of the city to the parachute troops of the Russian army. But the Russian army probably doesn’t want to take on the task on the ground either, the Russian independent medium “Lenta” reported. Instead, the second mercenary group, the “Bataillon Potok” was commissioned. But Miller’s force has retreated, suffering heavy casualties, prompting angry reactions.

The Wagner group taunted Telegram: “Gazprom’s private army gave up the positions taken with Wagner’s blood to the Ukrainian army and fled from the front.” With friends like that, you don’t need enemies!”