Ukraine’s Kherson counter-offensive ‘gathers momentum’: UK MoD
Ukraine’s counter-offensive in Kherson is gaining momentum, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
In an intelligence report issued this morning, the ministry said:
It is very likely that their forces have established a bridgehead south of the Ingulets River, which forms the northern boundary of Russian-occupied Kherson.
Ukraine has used its new long-range artillery to damage at least three of the bridges over the Dnipro River that Russia relies on to supply areas under its control.
One of them, the 1,000-meter-long Antonivskiy Bridge near the city of Kherson, was damaged last week. Ukraine hit her again on July 27, 2022 and it is very likely that the crossing is now unusable.
Russia’s 49th Army is stationed on the west bank of the Dnipro River and now looks very vulnerable.
Similarly, the city of Kherson, the most politically significant population center occupied by Russia, is virtually isolated from the rest of the occupied territories. Their loss would seriously undermine Russia’s attempts to paint the occupation as a success.”
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Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russian-imposed civil-military administration in Ukraine’s occupied Kherson region, took to Telegram this morning to say that “all stories about successful ‘Ukronazi’ counteroffensives in the Kherson region are pure lie.”
He offered no evidence to support the claim.
Ukrinform reports some more details of the missile attacks in Mykolaiv, which the mayor said took place at 4 am. He quotes Oleksandr Syenkevych as saying:
Educational institutions and residential buildings were damaged by rocket attacks today. Russian terrorists cynically bomb civilian infrastructure in Mykolaiv.
Another school in the city was almost completely destroyed. Part of the building collapsed into it. The institution’s security guard was injured. Windows and roofs were shattered in nearby private homes.
He went on to say that the Naval Construction University was hit and two high-rise buildings are currently known to be damaged.
Ukraine’s Kherson counter-offensive ‘gathers momentum’: UK MoD
Ukraine’s counter-offensive in Kherson is gaining momentum, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
In an intelligence report issued this morning, the ministry said:
It is very likely that their forces have established a bridgehead south of the Ingulets River, which forms the northern boundary of Russian-occupied Kherson.
Ukraine has used its new long-range artillery to damage at least three of the bridges over the Dnipro River that Russia relies on to supply areas under its control.
One of them, the 1,000-meter-long Antonivskiy Bridge near the city of Kherson, was damaged last week. Ukraine hit her again on July 27, 2022 and it is very likely that the crossing is now unusable.
Russia’s 49th Army is stationed on the west bank of the Dnipro River and now looks very vulnerable.
Similarly, the city of Kherson, the most politically significant population center occupied by Russia, is virtually isolated from the rest of the occupied territories. Their loss would seriously undermine Russia’s attempts to paint the occupation as a success.”
More than 20 missiles fired from Belarus, according to the Ukrainian military
Ukrainian officials have released a few more details about the reported missile attack in the Chernihiv region this morning.
Ukraine’s Northern Operational Command issued an update citing information they had received from Belarusian sources about the launch of more than 20 missiles from Belarus.
From 17.20 to 18.30 h. On July 28, 2022, information from Belarusian sources received information about the launch of more than 20 missiles from Belarus.
Currently, it is known about the arrival of 9 rockets through the territory of the Goncharivska region, Chernihiv.”
No casualties have yet been reported, the force added.
Missiles fired from Belarus hit Chernihiv region, governor says
More than ten missiles fired from Belarus reportedly hit the Chernihiv region early this morning, according to Ukrainian officials.
Regional governor Viacheslav Chaus said “more than ten” missiles were fired from the territory of Belarus that hit the Goncharivska area around 5 am. In a Telegram update posted this morning, he said:
Today we all woke up very early and this awakening was very disturbing, we could hear explosions.
After 5 am, large-scale rocket launches from the territory of Belarus. There is preliminary information about a hit near Goncharivskyi.
Chaus declined to say where the explosions took place, citing security reasons, and added that information on casualties was being clarified.
Updated at 06.40 BST
Russia is deploying troops again in southern Ukraine
Russian forces are carrying out a “massive redeployment” of troops in three regions of southern Ukraine in what appears to be a change in tactics by Moscow, a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday.
Oleksiy Arestovych said Russia was sending troops to Melitopol and Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, indicating a change in tactics to strategic defense from attack.
In an interview on Ukrainian TV on Wednesday, he said:
(This) would put us in a position where we cannot release all our territory and ask for talks”
“Putin sent an army to Ukraine to recreate the Soviet Union,” Arestovich added.
The UN Security Council has been unable to agree on a declaration for a grain deal
The United Nations Security Council has failed to agree on a statement welcoming last week’s deal to get grain and fertilizer from Ukraine and Russia to millions of hungry people around the world, the Norway’s ambassador to the UN.
The statement also reportedly praised Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the government of Turkey for their key role in organizing the deal.
“Norway and Mexico have been working for days to unify the council in a message welcoming the important agreement to resume exports of grain, food and fertilizer through the Black Sea,” Norwegian Ambassador Mona Juul told The Associated Press. “We regret that this was not possible.”
Russia and Ukraine signed separate deals with Turkey and the UN on Friday that paved the way for Ukraine, one of the world’s biggest breadbaskets, to export 22 million tonnes of grain and other agricultural products that have been stuck in ports of the Black Sea due to the invasion of Russia.
The agreement also aims to ensure that Russian food and fertilizers have unrestricted access to world markets.
Council diplomats said Russia objected to the latest draft statement on the grains deal because it mentioned Guterres’ condemnation of Saturday’s airstrike.
The proposed statement from Norway and Mexico, obtained by AP, would have welcomed progress on Friday’s signing of the agreement “to ensure the safe and secure export of grain, food and fertilizers from Ukraine and the Russian Federation.”
He would have praised Guterres and Turkey and called for the swift implementation of the commitments made in Istanbul.
“A unified council statement welcoming the agreement and congratulating the secretary-general on his efforts would have been an important signal,” Juul said.
“Norway believes that the Secretary-General’s personal efforts and commitment have been essential in facilitating negotiations between the parties,” Juul said. “These efforts are more important than ever as the effects of war continue to be felt by the people of Ukraine and beyond.”
Russia is attacking the Kyiv region, according to the governor
Russia reportedly hit infrastructure in the Kyiv region early this morning, according to Ukrainian officials.
Kyiv regional governor Oleksiy Kuleba said a rocket attack was launched in the Vyshgorod district, just north of the capital.
In a Telegram update posted shortly after 6 a.m., Kuleba said:
This morning, the enemy launched a rocket attack against one of the communities in the Vyshgorod district.
The infrastructure object was shot. Information about the victims is being clarified. All emergency services are now on site.”
Kyiv city hall also issued an air raid alert at the same time, urging residents to seek shelter.
⚡️Governor: Russia attacks Kyiv Oblast infrastructure early July 28.
According to the governor of Kyiv Oblast, Oleksiy Kuleba, Russian forces hit an infrastructure object in one of the communities of the Vyshhorodsky district north of the capital.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) July 28, 2022
The operation to liberate Kherson “has already begun”, says Ukraine
Ukraine has said its operation to liberate Kherson has “already begun” after striking the key Russian supply route across the Antonivskiy Bridge to the Russian-held southern city on Wednesday.
Presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych also confirmed Ukraine’s strategy to isolate Russian forces, claiming that there is a “certain plan” of the Ukrainian armed forces to “isolate”. [Russia’s] military operations”.
No matter how much the enemy outnumbers the forces and resources on the western bank of the Dnieper, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will first strip them of ammunition depots, fuel, communications and command, and then wipe out the remnants of their forces.
Arestovych added that Russian forces had three options:
Withdraw (if possible), surrender or be destroyed.”
Another senior presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, added:
Occupants should learn to swim across the Dnipro River. Or should I leave Kherson while it is still possible. There may not be a third warning.”
Ukrainian officials also confirmed that their troops used US-supplied precision rocket launchers to damage the Antonivskiy Bridge.
Zelenskiy promised that Ukraine would rebuild the bridge and other crossings in the region.
We are doing everything we can to ensure that the occupying forces have no logistical opportunity…