“It is very likely that the beginning of the week will be marked by such an attack,” spokeswoman of the Ukrainian army’s Southern Command Natalia Goumenyuk said on Monday, noting that a Russian ship carrying missiles had appeared in the Black Mare. “It is a surface missile carrier carrying eight Kalibr-type missiles. This indicates that preparations are underway,” she added on Ukrainian television.
“Very difficult” situation on the front
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in a video speech on Sunday evening that “the week ahead could be as difficult as the past one,” marred by Russian bombing that has caused massive power outages as winter temperatures drop. “Our defense forces are preparing. The whole state is preparing. We are working out all scenarios, including with Western partners,” he added, urging Ukrainians to pay attention to air raid alarms.
He also referred to a “very difficult” situation on the front, particularly in the Donetsk region to the east, where fighting has concentrated after the withdrawal of Russian forces from the city of Kherson to the south.
