Ukrainian forces on Wednesday reported battlefield gains in a counteroffensive that could mark a shift in the momentum of the war as Kiev shuts off the gas flow on a route through Russian-held territory, raising the specter of an energy crisis in Europe.
In Vilhivka, a town to the east of Kharkiv controlled by Ukrainian forces, almost constant artillery and several rocket launchers could be heard in the fighting, now pushed significantly further east, as Ukraine tried to seize the coast of the Donets. river. and threatening Russian supply lines on the other side.
A Ukrainian military source told Reuters that Ukrainian forces were several kilometers away after advances from the Russian border in the Kharkiv region on Wednesday morning.
East of Vilhivka, Ukrainian forces took control of the village of Rubizhne on the banks of the Donets River, after what appeared to be the fastest advance since April, when Ukraine pushed Russian forces out of Kiev and the north of the country. .
“It burned down like all Russian tanks,” a Ukrainian soldier told Reuters near the remains of a Russian tank outside the village. “Weapons are very helpful, anti-tank guns.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office said Russian forces were “gradually expelled from Kharkiv”, but Kyiv has so far confirmed few details on progress in the region and has chosen to remain cautious.
Zelenskiy said the conquests had moved the second-largest city – under constant bombardment from the first days of the war – beyond Russian artillery range, but warned the Ukrainians not to raise expectations just yet.
“We must not create an atmosphere of extreme moral pressure where victories are expected on a weekly or even daily basis,” he said in an overnight video speech.
The 92nd Mechanized Brigade confirmed to Reuters on Tuesday that it had recaptured four villages north of Kharkov, bringing Russian forces closer to the border.
“The enemy is trying to prevent our troops from approaching the border in the Kharkov region,” said the Ukrainian General Staff, without giving details.
Russia also gave a few details about the conflicts in the region.
gas sources
Ukraine’s separate move Wednesday to cut Russian gas supplies through territory controlled by Russian-backed separatists was one of the first times gas supplies to Europe were directly affected by the conflict.
Gas flows to Europe via Ukraine from Russia’s monopoly exporter Gazprom declined for a quarter after Kiev said it had to stop all flows through Russia’s southern Sokhranovka crossing point because Russian-backed separatists diverted supplies.
If the supply disruption continues, what the Kremlin calls a “special military operation” will have the most direct impact on European energy markets.
source: Noticias
