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36 mins ago
Russian attacks intensify in eastern Ukraine, ahead of planned ground offensive
By Tim Lister, Olga Voitovych
Firefighters drive towards a factory fire after a Russian attack, outside Kharkiv, Ukraine, on April 15.
(Philip Dana/AP)
Russian attacks have intensified in a variety of places in eastern Ukraine, including Kharkiv, Lugansk and Donetsk, according to Ukrainian military and regional officials.
Russian forces appear to be heavily shelling areas in all three regions ahead of a planned ground offensive.
Around Slobozhansky, which is an area south of Kharkiv, "the main focus of the Russian enemy is on regrouping and strengthening troops," the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said.
Russian forces aim to blockade the city of Kharkiv, which continues to come under persistent shelling, and have concentrated as many as 22 battalion tactical groups around Izyum, the General Staff added.
A battalion tactical group typically comprises around 1,000 soldiers.
"The main efforts of the enemy are focused on maintaining previously occupied positions," he said, highlighting the deployment of additional Russian units.
In the Donetsk region, Russian efforts focused on seizing the cities of Popasna and Rubizhne, while establishing full control over the strategic port city of Mariupol, it added.
The General Staff also spoke of the constant fire against the Ukrainian positions around Popasna, saying that the Russian forces are "trying to improve the tactical situation, to advance deep into the Popasna settlement", but were ultimately thwarted.
He reported intensified shelling around the city of Severodonetsk, "to inflict losses, deplete our troops and possibly prepare for offensive operations", as well as shelling further south at Toretsk.
One person was killed in Kreminna, just northwest of Severodonetsk, a local official said.
Efforts continue to bring residents of the cities of Rubizhne and Kreminna to safety amid heavy fighting in the area, said Serhii Haidai, head of the Luhansk regional administration.
He added that there is no water or gas in Severodonetsk.
In the last day, 10 attacks by the Russian enemy in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions were stopped, the General Staff added.
"The main events that we will talk about in the coming days, or rather weeks, will be events related to the fighting in the Ukrainian Donbas," Vadym Denysenko, adviser to Ukraine's Interior Ministry, said on Saturday.
Russian missile strikes have spread to other areas beyond the Donbas region, Ukrainian officials say.
One person was killed in an attack on a village near the city of Poltava, said Dmytro Lunin, head of Poltava's military administration.
The country's top general said he spoke with the top US military official on Friday.
Valery Zaluzhny said that he discussed "heavy fighting on the Kharkiv-Izyum border, the deterrence of the Russian offensive in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions, the critical situation around Mariupol and the firing of rockets throughout Ukraine" with the president. of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley.
"I reiterated the urgent needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in arms and ammunition to strengthen our defense capabilities," Zaluzhny added.
The news comes as Russian preparations continue in eastern Ukraine for an offensive operation.
40 mins ago
Ukrainian officials report explosions in Kyiv and activated air defenses in Lviv
By Olga Voitovych N, Athan Hodge
Smoke is seen rising over the Darnytskyi district of Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 16.
(Metin Semiz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a statement that the Ukrainian capital "was attacked" on Saturday morning.
"The explosions occurred in the Darnytsky district on the outskirts of the city," he said.
"Rescuers and doctors are currently working on the scene. Information about the victims is being clarified."
Some residents have begun to return to Kyiv after the failure of a Russian offensive launched from northern Ukraine.
Klitschko urged kyiv residents to reconsider returning for the time being, saying: "I ask you to refrain from this and stay in safer places."
Maksym Kozytskyy, military governor of the Lviv region in western Ukraine, said on Saturday that "air defenses were working" during an air raid alarm that began at 5:46 a.m. local time and lasted until 7:02 a.m. A.M
43 mins ago
Russian strikes damage gas pipelines in Luhansk region, Ukrainian official says
By Olga Voitovych
Nightly shelling by Russian forces damaged gas pipelines in the Ukrainian cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, a local official said.
One person was killed and three were injured in the shelling, which damaged pipelines in the two cities and also hit the city of Kreminna, Serhii Haidai, head of the Lugansk regional administration, said in a statement on Telegram.
"Late in the afternoon, firefighters found the body of a man with no signs of life under the rubble of one of Kreminna's vocational schools," he said.
"Three women were injured as a result of the shelling in Lysychansk. They were evacuated from the damaged house and received timely medical care."
The central gas pipeline in Severodonetsk was damaged and work was underway on Saturday to restore the water supply infrastructure that was damaged on Friday, Haidai added.
"There is no water or gas in the city," he said.
"An enemy shell also hit the gas pipeline in Lysychansk, but the consequences are less significant."
On Friday, Haidai said shelling in Severodonetsk damaged the water supply system and destroyed two food warehouses.
"The Russians are cynically hitting the infrastructure," he said at the time.
The bombardment came amid warnings of a major Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine in the coming days.
CNN's Kostan Nechyporenko and Yulia Kesaieva contributed to this article.
war in ukraine