Russia says it has launched “massive strikes” in response to Ukrainian troops’ lightning counter-offensive.
Russian bombing has so far killed eight people and wounded 19 in 24 hours in the north-eastern region of Kharkiv and the eastern region of Donetsk, the Ukrainian presidency said.
“The Russian air force, ballistics and artillery are carrying out massive strikes against units of the Ukrainian armed forces in all operational areas,” the Russian defence ministry said on Tuesday.
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It referred in particular to bombardments near Sloviansk, Konstantinivka and Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, as well as in the southern regions of Mykolaïv and Zaporijjia and in that of Kharkiv, from where Russian soldiers have almost completely withdrawn in the face of Ukrainian advances.
The Russian offensive launched on 24 February will continue “until the objectives are achieved”, the Kremlin had hammered the day before, according to which there are currently “no prospects for negotiations” between the two countries.
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Meanwhile, Kyiv says Russian soldiers are committing “up to 200 war crimes per day” which are being uncovered in areas newly liberated by Ukrainian soldiers in the east and north of the country, and that up to 70,000 square kilometres in ten regions have been mined by Russian troops.
For its part, Russia said that the Ukrainian military was carrying out harsh reprisals against civilians in the areas it had retaken in recent days.
“According to our information, there are many punitive actions against the inhabitants of the Kharkiv region, people are being tortured, mistreated,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding: “It is revolting.”
