Concerns about the safety of civilians have risen in Ukraine after an inspection by some officials found nearly a quarter of the country’s bomb shelters were closed or inoperable, just days after Russian missiles allegedly killed a woman in Kiev. as she waited in front of a building closed shelter.
The war in Ukraine what you need to know
file – War tracks
Live news from the Ukraine-Russia conflict
11:57 a.m
Kyiv: “We will not announce a counteroffensive, plans love silence”
“Plans love silence. There will be no announcement of the start,” Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar wrote in Telegram today, referring to the expected counter-offensive in Kyiv. The message is accompanied by a video in which several soldiers call for silence with their index fingers on their lips. The news follows Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s interview with the Wall Street Journal yesterday, in which the Ukrainian president said the country was ready to launch a counteroffensive.
11:33
Pro-Russians invade Schebekino
Pro-Ukrainian Russian partisans today entered the Zhebekino district of Russia’s Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine, the Freedom Legion of Russia reported on Telegram. “Comes! The advance group of the Legion and the RDK enters the suburb of Schebekino. For Russia! For freedom!” the message reads. Fighting is taking place near the village of Novaya Tavolshanka, the group adds, underlining that “Putin’s troops continue to bombard civilian homes with heavy artillery.”