ROME – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy landed in Rome on Saturday, where he will hold meetings with the Italian President and Prime Minister. He will also meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican. It is the first time he has met the pontiff since invading Russia, although Francis’ impact on the conflict is ultimately likely to be limited.
Ukrainian officials issued air alerts across the country early Saturday, reporting several casualties. The cities of Nikopol, Khmelnytskyi and Mykolaiv were hit by Russian attacks, it said. Air sirens also wailed in the capital Kiev and the port city of Odessa. Meanwhile, pro-Russian officials in Luhansk, a breakaway Ukrainian region backed and occupied by the Kremlin, reported explosions that they blamed on Ukrainian forces.
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How Ukrainian forces denied Russia’s victory in Bakhmut until Victory Day: Intelligence indicated that the Russians were so focused on the intense street fighting in Bakhmut that they did not expect an attack on the outskirts of the embattled city, report Siobhán O’Grady, Kamila Hrabchuk and Kostiantyn Khudov. The first fight lasted 12 grueling hours; But by sunset, Wagner Group troops broke up and fled, leaving five dead, according to Ukrainian military officers.
Two days later, after holding off the Russian artillery counterattack on the newly captured position, the Ukrainians advanced again with tanks and US-made infantry fighting vehicles.
Jeong reported from Seoul, Bisset from London and Parker from Washington. Loveday Morris in Berlin contributed to this report.