AFP
–
NOS News•yesterday, 23:11•Amended today, 01:46
—
The Russian army is no longer focusing only on the battle in the Donbas region, but also on other areas in Ukraine. The arrows are now also aimed at the southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhya, Russian foreign minister Lavrov said in an interview with state news agency RIA Novosti. Parts of those regions are already occupied.
–
Last weekend, the British Ministry of Defense announced that Russia his position in southern Ukraine is strengthening. Soldiers, equipment and supplies are being moved between Mariupol and Zaporizhzhya and in Kherson. The Russian army is also trying to strengthen its position in Melitopol.
–
According to the US, Russia is preparing to annex several areas in southern and eastern Ukraine, just as it did with the Crimean peninsula in 2014. Still, hopes for the Donbas region are not given up, US chiefs of staff Milley said today.
–
–
Lavrov said the country has changed its objectives after the West started supplying long-range weapons to Ukraine. With this he refers to the last arms deliveries from the United States, the so-called multiple rocket launchers. These are weapon systems such as the MLRS and HIMARS, with which a volley of missiles can be fired.
–
Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska today made an urgent appeal in the US Congress for more weapons and air defense systems to be supplied. Shortly after Lavrov’s statements and Zelenska’s appeal, US defense secretary Austin announced that he would send four more HIMARS to Ukraine, bringing the total number to sixteen.
–
Western countries, at Ukraine’s request, are promising more and more heavy weapons to the country, which has become dependent on Western supplies after five months of war. Hundreds of howitzers, long-range guns, have already been sent to the Eastern European country. The Netherlands and Germany have 18 howitzers promised. It is the heaviest artillery of the Dutch army.
–
counteroffensive
A week ago, Ukraine announced it would launch a counter-offensive in the southern Kherson region. A month after the Russian invasion, the army managed to push back Russian troops from various parts of the country, including around the capital Kiev. After that, Russia focused mainly on the capture of the Lugansk and Donetsk regions. The Lugansk region is now completely in Russian hands.
–
–
The heavy weapons Ukraine keeps asking for
—-
