Russian forces have fired a barrage of 25 missiles at the northern regions of Ukraine from neighboring Belarus, while Ukraine’s offensive in the south appears to be gathering pace.
The wave of missiles launched early this morning from the territory of Russia’s key ally hit targets in the Chernihiv region, including an apartment block, as well as locations outside Kyiv and around the city of Zhytomyr, according to Ukrainian officials and Belarusian opposition figures.
Chernihiv regional governor Viacheslav Chaus said nine missiles had hit near the village of Honcharivska and some fell in the nearby forest.
The strikes came as Ukraine celebrated Statehood Day for the first time. In a national message, the president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said: “An uneasy morning. Again: the terror of missiles. We will not surrender. We will not surrender. Do not intimidate us. Ukraine is an independent, free and indivisible state. And it will always be like that.”
❗️Missile launches from Ziabrauka airfield on the morning of July 28. Photos show missile launches from Ziabrauka airfield (Gomel district). We note that up to 10 S-300/400 SAM systems and presumably at least 2 Iskander systems are still deployed at the airfield.1/4 pic.twitter.com/YKb3BVtwem
— Belarusian Project Hajun (@MotolkoHelp) July 28, 2022
Activists tracking Russian military movements in Belarus said the missile launches came from the Ziabrauka airfield near Gomel, prompting calls for greater sanctions against Belarus.
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya condemned the latest escalation from Belarus.
“Horrified to see how Russia continues to use Belarus to attack Ukraine,” he tweeted. “This morning at least 25 missiles were launched from Belarus aimed at Kyiv, Chernihiv and other cities. Lukashenko cannot fool anyone. He is guilty of crimes against Belarusians and Ukrainians and must be held accountable.”
British defense and intelligence officials said Thursday that a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the country’s south 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 first days of the invasion, launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24.
“The 49th Army of Russia, stationed on the west bank of the [Dnieper] River, now appears very vulnerable,” he said in a regular intelligence bulletin. “Its loss would seriously undermine Russia’s attempts to paint the occupation as a success.”
Witnesses in the Russian-held areas of southern Ukraine suggest that Moscow has been trying to move columns of equipment to reinforce its troops there, as well as seeing a marked increase in Russian military flights.
However, amid its attempts to continue its fighting offensive in the Donbas and defend the south, Russia appears to be deploying ill-trained troops and, in some cases, home-made armored vehicles.
Underscoring the vulnerability of Russian forces in and around Kherson, images appeared on social media of a ferry operating on the Dnieper to replace the damaged Antonivskiy Bridge, one of the main access routes to the city, which was very damaged by an early Ukrainian missile attack. Wednesday.
Horrified to see how 🇷🇺 continues to use Belarus to attack 🇺🇦. This morning at least 25 missiles were launched from Belarus targeting Kyiv, Chernihiv and other cities. Lukashenko can’t 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, tweeted earlier that Russia was massing “the maximum number of troops” in the direction of Kherson, but did not elaborate.
Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Zelenskiy, said Russia was conducting a “massive redeployment” of forces from east to south in what was a strategic shift from attack to defense.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine will rebuild the Antonivskiy Bridge and other crossings in the region.
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“We are doing everything we can so that the occupying forces have no logistical opportunity in our country,” he said in his speech on Wednesday evening.
Russian officials had previously said pontoon bridges and ferries would be used to cross the river.
Russian-backed forces said 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.