Ukraine: Some Russian gains, but Kyiv retains initiative | War in Ukraine

The Ukrainian army has recaptured nearly 2,500 km2 of territory from Russian forces since late September, including nearly 800 km2 and 29 locations. Just this weekPresident Volodymyr Zelensky said in his daily speech on Friday evening.

At the same time, in Oslo, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Imprisoned Belarusian activist Ales Belyatsky, Russian NGO Memorial and Ukrainian Center for Civil RightsA highly symbolic gift amid the war in Ukraine.

Major Western capitals welcomed the decision, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underscored The power of civil society to advance peace.

US President Joe Biden warned of the dangerDisaster For the first time since the Cold War, he applauded the laureates standing up For intimidation and oppression.

But in Russia, as a reaction, the judiciary ordered the confiscation of officesNGO memory.

As for the Russian rap star Oxxymiron, who is very popular among young people and who described the attack against Ukraine Disaster And crimeHe was put on the infamous list Foreign agents.

On the ground, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov promised the Ukrainians a sign of hope after the success of their counteroffensive. Life, safety and justice must be guaranteed For Russian soldiers who want to surrender.

” You can still save Russia from tragedy and the Russian army from shame. »

He issued the statement as the defeats prompted Russian President Vladimir Putin to mobilize tens of thousands of people into the military.

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Moscow, for its part, announced that it had gained some ground – three villages in eastern Ukraine – after losing thousands of square kilometers of territory on several fronts in the north and south in recent weeks.

All three villages taken are located south of the Ukrainian-controlled town of Baghmoud. The Russian military has been trying to capture the region for months but has not been successful so far.

In Bakhmout on Friday, journalists fromAFP The city, which had a population of 70,000 before the war, heard heavy artillery and multiple rocket launchers.

Occasional bursts of machine gun fire could also be heard. said Eduard Schorik, 29, a civilian volunteer for the humanitarian group Vostok SOS.AFP only Street fights It happened near his house on the other side of the river Pakmuda.

To the south of the city, in the direction of the villages captured by the Russians, columns of black smoke arose after the explosion of shells, which startled and sometimes knocked civilians to the ground.

Ukrainian forces are seeking territorial gains in both the south and northeast of the country.

Photo: dpa / DIMITAR DILKOFF via Getty Images

In the occupied area of ​​Kherson (south), at least five civilians were killed and five wounded by the Ukrainian strike, according to pro-Russian official Kirill Stremoussov.

Kyiv has targeted bridges in the region on several occasions to disrupt Russian logistics.

The Ukrainian President’s Office announced a new Russian strike in the Zaporizhia region (south) for the second day in a row, in which one person was injured. Infrastructure was destroyed in two districts. The occupier used drones for the first timeshe said.

According to Ukrainian emergency services, 11 people were killed in Russian attacks on Zaporozhye the day before.

Denis Bushilin, head of pro-Russian separatists in the Donetsk region (east), noted that the situation. is difficult Near Lyman, a railway junction recently recaptured by Ukrainian forces, Russian troops narrowly escaped encirclement.

According to him, the latter are strengthening a new defense line near Kreminna, further east than the Ukrainian forces. Day and night testing.

I think we have every opportunity to accumulate forces and start liberating territories with fresh reserves.He also announced that he would send reinforcements.

Russia last week said it would annex at least four areas under its control in Ukraine. Polls Condemned byUNkyiv and its western allies.

As for the nuclear threat, it is peaking.

After Vladimir Putin’s threats to use nuclear weapons to defend territories the Kremlin considers Russian, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on Thursday, if necessary. Precautionary strikes Against Russia.

The Ukrainian president quickly backtracked, saying he was talking about Mr Zelensky Punishments Russian officials condemned his comments, not preventive measures and strikes.

Kremlin condemns a A call to start a new world war And Sergei Lavrov, the head of Russian diplomacy, considered such announcements to be confirmation of the validity of the Russian invasion.