CONFLICTSUKRAINE
Ukraine updates: Russia gaining ground in Bakhmut, says UK
47 minutes ago47 minutes ago
The UK defense ministry said Russia has “regained some momentum” in the battle for Bakhmut. Meanwhile, US media reported secret plans of a spring offensive in Ukraine have been leaked online. Follow DW for more.
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The UK’s Ministry of Defense (MOD) said that “Russian forces have regained some momentum in the battle for Bakhmut” in recent days, according to a statement published on Friday.
The eastern Ukrainian city remains at the heart of a grinding battle of attrition as Russian forces attempt to capture the strategically important location.
A Ukrainian military official told Reuters news agency that Kyiv’s forces are continuing to hold out in Bakhmut on Friday. Eastern Military Command spokesperson Serhiy Cherevatyi acknowledged, however, Ukrainian troops face a “difficult” situation.
The MOD’s latest intelligence briefing said that Russia had made more gains and “has now highly likely advance into the town center.”
Russian forces have gained control of the west bank of the Bakhmuta River and a key supply route for Ukraine to the west of the city, was “likely severely threatened,” the ministry said.
It was probable that Russian regular forces, which likely included airborne elements, had reinforced the area, while Russian artillery was being used more effectively in the area, the MOD said.
The briefing also mentioned there was a “realistic probability” that the leadership from Russian private mercenary company, the Wagner Group, and Russian military commanders had halted an ongoing feud and had managed to improve cooperation.
On Thursday Wagner Group’s Yevgeny Progozhin said there was no indication that Ukrainian forces were about to abandon the city of Bakhmut, although Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had raised the prospect of a possible withdrawal should defending forces come at risk of being encircled by Russian forces.
Inside the trenches and hospitals of Bakhmut
05:08
Here are some of the other notable developments concerning Russia’s war in Ukraine on Friday, April 7:
Cyprus to offer Ukraine mine-clearance training
Defense Minister of Cyprus Michalis Georgallas has offered Ukraine landmine clearance training as part of its humanitarian assistance.
“We will host personnel which will handle de-mining and detection of mines,” Georgallas told Cypriot broadcaster, Sigma TV.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov is on a visit to the island and is due to tour the locations where training will take place.
Cyprus has been split since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded the north, responding to a coup orchestrated by supporters of a union with Greece.
A 180 km (116 mile) dividing line across Cyprus was riddled with minefields until the two sides began clearance operations over the past decade with the assistance the United Nations.
Thousands of crimes registered in Germany related to Ukraine war — report
German publication the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung has reported that since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, around 6,000 criminal offences have been registered by German authorities relating to the war in Ukraine.
Figures from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) were cited, with crimes including damage to property, insults, threats and physical assaults.
The newspaper reported that in the first two weeks of the war, most of the crimes were directed towards Russia’s invasion, however over the past few months, the majority of crimes reported had a “anti-Ukrainian intention.”
The publication reported that in instances of damage to property where graffiti was sprayed on walls, recorded offenses included expressing sympathy for a warring party. Crimes that expressed an anti-war sentiment were also included.
Classified US-NATO spring offensive plans leaked — reports
Secret documents detailing US and NATO plans to assist Ukraine in preparation for a spring offensive have been leaked on social media, according to a New York Times report.
“We are aware of the reports of social media posts, and the Department is reviewing the matter,” deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said.
The US newspaper reported that the documents were spread on Twitter and Telegram and contained details pertaining to weapons deliveries, the strength of certain battalions, along with other sensitive material.
According to the report, one of the documents was at least five weeks old, while the most recent was dated March 1.
NATO allies have committed to support Ukraine in the face of Russia’s invasion with provision of arms, ammunition and training.
More on the war in Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have traveled to China to push Beijing to get Russia to the negotiating table. Those efforts are detailed here.
Read more about the Russian girl who was sent to an orphanage after drawing a pro-Ukraine sketch.
kb/rs (AP, dpa, Reuters)
