“When the counteroffensive begins, everyone will notice.” Ukraine has yet to launch its attack on Russia in the war that began more than 15 months ago. This was stated by the Secretary of the National Security Council of Ukraine, Oleksiy Danilov, quoted by Ukrinform, on the grounds that the defense forces of Kiev have not yet launched the planned counter-offensive to liberate the temporarily Russian-occupied areas. “When this all starts, our military will decide. And everyone will know and see it,” added Danilov, noting that in some places the Russians mistook the advance of the Ukrainian army as the start of a major operation.
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KACHOVKA DAM
At least three people have died in floods after the Kakhovka Dam was destroyed in southern Ukraine. This is reported by Ukrainian media. According to the Kiev Independent, the victims drowned.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was “shocked” by what he called a “failure” by the United Nations and the International Red Cross, which he said were not providing aid to the disaster-affected population following the attack left against the Kakhovka Dam in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine. Although the disaster was many hours ago, “they are not here,” Zelenskyy told the German newspapers “Bild” and “Die Welt” as well as “Politico”. “We didn’t get an answer.” “I’m shocked,” Zelenskyy added.
French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on Twitter that he had “expressed his solidarity with the Ukrainian people after the attack on the Kakhovka Dam” to “President Zelenskyy”. France condemns this cruel act, which endangers the population. In the next few hours, we will broadcast “Help to Meet Immediate Needs.”
REPLACEMENT OF ATTACHMENTS TO CONTINUE
The order to blow up the Kakhovka dam came directly from Russian President Vladimir Putin. And the water level of the reservoir was deliberately raised “to cause even more damage,” said Oleksiy Danilov. “Russian terrorists in September or October last year blew up the dam with explosives that they had planted long ago,” Danilov told Svoboda Radio. It was “the Kremlin, more precisely Putin’s office, who ordered this terrorist attack”.
According to Danilov, in an operation to hamper the Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russian forces deliberately raised the water level in the dam’s reservoir to maximize damage. “They await the counter-offensive, they raised the water to the maximum possible level. It was 18.6 meters and they raised it to over 19. They deliberately accumulated water so the explosion could do more damage,” he said. The dam was occupied by the Russians on February 24, 2022, the first day of the invasion.
Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that by collapsing the Novaya Kakhovka Dam, the Russians “actually did more harm to themselves and their forces” because the attack damaged Ukraine’s fortifications and military posts.
Speaking on national television, Maliar said: “Basically, the area now under the attacker’s control is the hardest hit. The areas of their military units are also flooded. And now there is a problem with mines because the mines have flown away.” The situation is now completely out of control.”
For Putin, the “barbaric destruction” of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station is a good example of the Ukrainian authorities’ dangerous escalation bet. The Russian President made similar comments in the phone conversation with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, RIA Novosti reported, stressing that it was Putin’s first comment on the dam explosion.
During a visit to the United States, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that Britain “could not yet say for sure” whether it was Russia that hit the Nova Kakhovka Dam, adding that “the security services and the military work on it”. ”. In any case: “If it is true, if it turns out to be a willful act of the Moscow army, “it will constitute a new terrible act of Russia’s barbarism.”
BAKHMUT
Meanwhile, Kiev’s troops on Bakhmut’s front were advancing between 200 and 1,100 meters in various areas. This was stated yesterday by Deputy Defense Minister Maliar, quoted by Ukrinform. In Bakhmut we went “from defense to offense, we are on the third day. The enemy is forced to try to hold their positions, but they cannot. They don’t have enough powers,” Maliar said.
ZUPPI’S MISSION
The President of the CEI, Matteo Zuppi, who returned from Ukraine, specified yesterday that his “no mediation” is the peace mission “a manifestation of interest, closeness and listening, so that the conflict can find ways to peace. Everything.” The rest awaits the end of the war or speculation that some have. Moscow views the Vatican’s efforts positively, even if there are no concrete steps. Zuppi made it clear that everything remains to be seen: “As Parolin said, we have to think, we have to talk to the Pope. Let’s wait until he gets better.”