Ukraine war: Kyiv breaks through Russia's first defensive lines
Ukraine has broken through Russia’s first line of defence in several places 48 hours after launching its long-awaited counteroffensive, the Ministry of Defence has said.
Ukrainian forces have “likely made good progress” and forced Russia to beat a disorderly retreat in some places, though it may be struggling in other areas, the MoD said.
“In some areas, Ukrainian forces have likely made good progress and penetrated the first line of Russian defences. In others, Ukrainian progress has been slower.”
Meanwhile, Russia’s performance has been mixed, too, said the MoD.
“[S]ome units are likely conducting credible manoeuvre defence operations while others have pulled back in some disorder, amid increased reports of Russian casualties as they withdraw through their own minefields.”
10:41 AM
Russian airforce unusually active over southern Ukraine, says MoD
10:31 AM
In pictures: Latest scenes from the war
10:12 AM
Three killed in Odesa region drone attack
Three people were killed early on Saturday in a fire sparked by falling debris from shot-down drones in the region of Odesa in southern Ukraine, regional officials said.
“At night, the enemy attacked Odesa Region with attack drones,” regional authorities said in a statement social media, referring to Russian forces.
Ukraine’s air defence forces destroyed all the unmanned aerial vehicles but their falling debris hit a high-rise residential building, sparking a fire, the statement said.
09:56 AM
Ukrainian forces claim to have gained more ground near Bakhmut
Kyiv said there had been heavy fighting in the eastern region of Donetsk on Friday, and a military spokesperson said Ukrainian forces had gained more ground near the devastated city of Bakhmut.
Russia says Ukraine’s counteroffensive has failed so far. Ukraine has not said the counteroffensive has actually begun - nor is it likely to - although the consensus among military analysts seems to be that it has.
With virtually no independent reporting from the front lines and Kyiv saying little, it was impossible to assess whether Ukraine was penetrating Russian defences in its bid to drive out occupying forces.
09:51 AM
'Dnipro river should return to its banks by June 16 after dam collapse'
The southern reach of the Dnipro river is likely to return to its banks by June 16 following a vast flood unleashed by the breach of Ukraine’s Kakhovka dam this week, a Russian-installed official said on Saturday.
The flood has inundated towns and villages below the dam, trapping residents and sweeping away entire houses on both sides of the Dnipro, which separates Ukrainian-controlled Kherson province from the southern section that Russian forces control.
Vladimir Saldo, who heads the Russian-controlled part, said the water level at Nova Kakhovka, the town adjacent to the dam on the downstream side, had now dropped by 3 metres (10 feet) from Tuesday’s peak.
