A barrage of 25 rockets was fired by Russian forces from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine’s northern regions as Ukraine’s offensive in the south appears to be gaining momentum.
The wave of missiles launched early in the morning from the territory of Russia’s main ally hit targets in the Chernihiv region, including a block of flats, as well as locations outside of Kyiv and around the city of Zhytomyr, according to Ukrainian officials and Belarusian opposition figures.
Chernihiv regional governor Viacheslav Chaus said nine rockets fell near the village of Honcharivska, with some falling into the nearby forest.
The strikes came as Ukraine celebrated Statehood Day for the first time. In a national message, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “Busy morning. Again – rocket terror. We will not give up. We will not give up. Don’t intimidate us. Ukraine is an independent, free and indivisible state. And it will always be like that.”
❗️Rocket launches from Ziabrauka airfield on the morning of July 28.
The photos show rocket launches from the Ziabrauka airfield (Gomel district). We note that up to 10 S-300/400 SAM systems and probably at least 2 Iskander systems are still stationed at the airfield.
1/4 pic.twitter.com/YKb3BVtwem— Belarusian Hajun Project (@MotolkoHelp) July 28, 2022
Activists tracking Russian military movements in Belarus said the missile launches occurred from Ziabrauka airfield near Gomel, prompting calls for increased sanctions against Belarus.
Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya condemned the recent escalation from Belarus.
“I am appalled to see Russia continue to use Belarus to attack Ukraine,” she tweeted. “At least 25 rockets were fired from Belarus this morning at Kyiv, Chernihiv and other cities. Lukashenka cannot fool anyone. He is guilty of crimes against Belarusians and Ukrainians and must be held accountable.”
British defense and intelligence officials said on Thursday that a Ukrainian counter-offensive in the south of the country had virtually cut off the Russian-held southern city of Kherson and left thousands of Russian troops stationed near the Dnieper River “highly vulnerable”.
Map of developments in Ukraine
Ukraine has made it clear that it intends to retake Kherson, which fell to Russia in the early days of the February 24 invasion launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Russia’s 49th Army, stationed on the west bank of the [Dnieper] River looks very vulnerable now,” a regular intelligence bulletin said. “His loss would seriously undermine Russia’s attempts to portray the occupation as a success.”
Testimonies from the Russian-held southern areas of Ukraine indicate that Moscow has attempted to move equipment columns to reinforce its troops there and has seen a significant increase in Russian military flights.
However, between its attempts to continue its combative offensive in Donbass and to defend the south, Russia appears to be deploying poorly trained troops and, in some cases, vehicles with homemade armor.
Emphasizing the vulnerability of Russian forces in and around Kherson, Images surfaced on social media a ferry operating on the Dnieper to replace the damaged Antonivsky Bridge – one of the main routes into the city – badly damaged by a Ukrainian missile attack early on Wednesday.
Horrified to see 🇷🇺 keep using Belarus to attack 🇺🇦. At least 25 rockets were fired from Belarus this morning at Kyiv, Chernihiv and other cities. Lukashenka cannot fool anyone. He is guilty of crimes against Belarusians and Ukrainians and must be held accountable. pic.twitter.com/UAdq7XVDD2
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) July 28, 2022
Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, previously tweeted that Russia was concentrating “maximum troop strength” towards Kherson, but gave no details.
Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Zelenskyi, said Russia is conducting a “massive reallocation” of forces from east to south, which amounts to a strategic shift from attack to defense.
Zelenskyi said Ukraine will rebuild Antonivsky Bridge and other crossings in the region.
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“We are doing everything to ensure that the occupiers have no logistical options in our country,” he said in his Wednesday evening speech.
Russian officials had previously said they would instead turn to pontoon bridges and ferries to ferry forces across the river.
Russian-backed forces said on Wednesday they had captured the Soviet-era Vuhlehirsk coal-fired power plant, Ukraine’s second-largest, in what was Moscow’s first significant gain in more than three weeks.