Ukraine: Russia attacks the Port of Izmail on the Danube delta

One woman was killed and dozens more injured after the strategic Ukrainian city of Kherson came under a fierce volley of missile fire.

Heavy Russian shelling also claimed the lives of civilians in border areas of the Kharkiv region, officials claimed.

Kherson governor Oleksandr Prokudin, communicating on the encrypted messaging service Telegram, admitted it had been a “difficult night” with “the Russian army continuing to shell Kherson residents’ homes in the central part of the city”.

He said Sunday’s brutal onslaught lasted for several hours, hitting a residential building and sparking a massive blaze.

In a separate incident, two civilians were killed and three others wounded as Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, was bombarded.

READ MORE Russia’s major missile maker targeted by North Korea[LATEST]

Despite recapturing Kherson city and parts of the surrounding region in November, Russian forces continue to regularly shell the area from across the Dnipro River with Ukrainian military reporting increased attacks in recent days.

This development comes as reports suggest Russia has set up training camps in occupied parts of the Kherson vicinity to indoctrinate young people to be pro-Kremlin in future elections.

Ukraine has claimed the overall number of Russian fighters “eliminated” since the war erupted on February 24 last year now stands at 250,240. The figure has not been independently verified but, if correct, works out at an average of 472 soldiers killed a day since the invasion.

Moscow hit back by stating Ukrainian forces had lost at least 135 troops in the past 48 hours trying to target Russian forces during heavy arms fighting from trenches in Donetsk Oblast.

Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov, Moscow’s Defence Ministry spokesman, bragged: “Units of the Southern Group of Forces, in close co-operation with aviation and artillery, successfully repelled the attack of the assault groups of the 81st Airmobile Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

“The losses of the enemy amounted to 135 Ukrainian servicemen, two tanks, six infantry fighting vehicles, three vehicles, the US-made M777 artillery system, as well as Msta-B and D-30 howitzers.”

Claims and counter-claims over losses came after President Volodymyr Zelensky said air defence systems supplied by Germany and America were “very effective” in thwarting Russian attacks.

He paid tribute to the arms, including the IRIS-T and Patriot drones, in enabling effective resistance and thanked all allies who had contributed resources to Ukrainian defence.

More than 40 countries came together over the weekend in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss a possible formula for bringing a peaceful conclusion to the conflict.

Delegations from the US, China and India were present for the talks, which senior Ukrainian government official Andriy Yermak described as “productive”.

Don’t miss…
China turns back on Russia by praising ‘doomed’ peace talks with Ukraine[LATEST]
Anti-Putin Russians ‘blow up’ depot housing vital ammunition inside Ukraine[DISCOVER]
Ukraine says ‘250k Russian soldiers killed’ as Putin’s forces hit hard at front[INSIGHT]

It came as Russia dismissed a peace pact with Kyiv based on Mr Zelensky’s so-called 10-point plan, which included red lines on nuclear safety and food plus energy security.

Maria Zakharova, president Vladimir Putin’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said: “None of its 10 points is aimed at finding a negotiated solution to the crisis, and their totality is a senseless ultimatum from Russia, which is aimed at protracting hostilities. On such a basis, a peaceful settlement is impossible.”

Moscow claimed Ukraine and the West were trying to “downplay” peace proposals by other countries.

Ms Zakharova added: “In essence, there is a fight against dissent at the international level, attempts to push through unviable settlement ideas through unscrupulous manipulations.”

Ukraine confirmed yesterday that 22 soldiers had been released by Russia in the latest prisoner swap.

Mr Yermak said the servicemen included two officers, sergeants and privates, who had fought in different parts of the front. The oldest was 54 and the youngest 23. Some of the prisoners had been wounded.

A video posted on Telegram showed them draped in blue and yellow Ukrainian flags while they posed for pictures and shouted: “Glory to Ukraine.”

Some 45 soldiers from each side were exchanged last month while more than 100 were involved in two separate swaps in April and June.

Russia are said to be incensed after the hammer and sickle symbol on the Motherland statue in Kyiv was replaced with the country’s trident coat of arms. It will be officially unveiled on August 24, Ukraine’s Independence Day.

Source: Read Full Article