Day 65 in the war: The Russian army continued its offensive in eastern and southern Ukraine with steady intensity, targeting the city of Kharkiv in particular. Violent explosions were heard there on Saturday night. Despite continued attacks on the country’s second-largest city, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of “tactical successes” by government troops in the region. “The situation in the Kharkiv region is difficult,” he said.
“But our military and our secret service have achieved important tactical successes,” Zelenskyy said in a televised speech. According to the Ukrainian military, they recaptured the “strategically important” village of Ruska Losowa near Kharkiv. According to the Defense Ministry in Kiev, Ukrainian soldiers have brought more than 600 residents to safety.
Zelenskyy accused the Russian army of wanting to “destroy all life” during its offensive in Donbass. The constant attacks on infrastructure and residential areas showed “that Russia wants to make this area uninhabitable”.
Russian troops have already captured several villages in the Donbass region. But the Ukrainian military also reported minor successes. A senior NATO official said Russia had made “slight” and “uneven” progress in its attempt to encircle enemy positions as Ukrainian forces counterattacked.