KYIV, Ukraine — Russian and Ukrainian officers are making contradictory claims of battlefield successes of their 4-year-old struggle, with Ukraine saying it has pushed Moscow’s forces again in some locations on the entrance line however the Kremlin insisting that Russia’s invasion of its neighbor is making progress.
On the identical time, Russia’s nearly day by day aerial assaults on civilian areas of Ukraine proceed, with in a single day drone strikes on two cities injuring at the least 14 individuals, together with two youngsters, emergency providers stated Tuesday.
Ukraine’s air power stated that it shot down 122 out of 137 drones that Russia launched in the course of the evening.
U.S.-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine are on hold as Washington’s consideration is gripped by the Iran war, which has drawn the worldwide highlight from Ukraine’s plight because it strives to carry again Russia’s greater military.
Regardless of being wanting troopers, Ukrainian forces have not too long ago retaken practically all of the territory of the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk industrial area throughout a counteroffensive, driving Russian troops out of greater than 400 sq. kilometers (150 sq. miles), Maj. Gen. Oleksandr Komarenko stated in an interview printed Tuesday by native media outlet RBC-Ukraine.
He described the general state of affairs on the entrance line as troublesome however below management, with the heaviest preventing persevering with close to Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine and Oleksandrivka within the south, the place he stated Russian forces have concentrated their fundamental effort.
There was no unbiased verification of his description of the army state of affairs.
Nevertheless, the Institute for the Research of Battle, a Washington-based assume tank, stated late Monday that current Ukrainian counterattacks “are producing tactical, operational and strategic results that will disrupt Russia’s spring-summer 2026 offensive marketing campaign plan.”
In the meantime, a Kremlin aide stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed U.S. President Donald Trump late Monday that Russian forces are “advancing fairly efficiently” in Ukraine.
That progress ought to “encourage” Kyiv to “transfer towards a negotiated settlement of the battle,” Yuri Ushakov instructed reporters — despite the fact that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly demanded a long-lasting peace deal and European governments accuse Putin of feigning curiosity in talks whereas the Russian army retains hammering Ukraine.
The Kremlin is hoping that the Iran struggle will convey it a monetary windfall from rising oil costs, distract international consideration from the Ukraine struggle, run down Western arsenals and power the U.S. and its NATO allies to scale back army help for Kyiv.
Zelenskyy, in the meantime, is hoping that by supplying its cutting-edge and battle-tested drone technology to america and its Gulf companions for the struggle within the Center East, Ukraine will win extra worldwide diplomatic leverage towards Moscow.
He’s additionally looking for a reciprocal provide of superior American-made air protection missiles Ukraine must counter Russia’s assaults.
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Comply with AP’s protection of the struggle in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
