War in Ukraine: Russia in retreat – “There will be no People’s Republic of Kherson”
Created: 05/08/2022Updated: 05/08/2022 07:51
By: Daniel Dillman
Ukraine recaptures areas in the north.
In the southeast, Kyiv wants to recapture the area around Cherson.
The situation in the Ukraine war.
Appeal to the West:
The government of President Volodymyr Zelenskyj is demanding further military aid from the West in the Ukraine war.
Heavy fighting around Mariupol:
Russia continues the attacks unabated.
The last bastion of Ukraine is the Azovstal Steel Plant.
Ukraine War:
All developments and news in the Ukraine conflict in our new ticker.
Update from Sunday, May 8th, 7:45 a.m .:
The Ukrainian leadership is counting on recapturing the city of Cherson in the south of the country, which was occupied by Russian troops.
"There will be no People's Republic of Kherson," said Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Ukrainian radio.
The area will be completely liberated, which will cost the lives of many Russian soldiers, Podoljak said in Kyiv on Saturday.
Ukraine War: Russia in retreat - Several locations recaptured
+++ 8.30 p.m .:
As reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, Ukrainian troops have also liberated the town of Tsyrkuny in Kharkiv Oblast in eastern Ukraine.
+++ 12.30 p.m .:
Ukrainian forces have recaptured the towns of Oleksandrivka, Fedorivka, Ukrainka, Shestakovo, Peremoha and part of the village of Cherkaski Tyshky in eastern Ukraine.
This emerges from a Facebook post by the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Friday (05/06/2022).
There it says that "units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine" were able to regain "control" over said areas after an "offensive".
This would be another success for the Ukrainian military after yesterday's withdrawal of Russian troops in northern Ukraine (see 9:33 update).
The information cannot be independently verified.
Ukraine War: Fighting continues - Russia destroys bridges in retreat
+++ 9.33 a.m .:
The army of Ukraine seems to be gaining territory in the north of the country.
According to the military leadership, their own units managed to push back the attackers from Russia in the region around the city of Kharkiv.
During their retreat, the Russian troops are said to have started blowing up bridges for the first time.
"The occupiers blew up three road bridges to slow down the advance of the counter-offensive by our defense forces," the Ukrainian military leadership said in a statement.
War in Ukraine: Zelenskyi government appeals to West
First report from Saturday, May 7th, 2022, 7 a.m.:
Kyiv - After more than two months of war, concerns are growing in Ukraine that they will no longer be able to win the fight against Russia.
The government of President Volodymyr Zelenskyj therefore appealed again to the West to support the country.
"Russia is in no hurry to end this war," Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Integration, told Politico.
The further development of the war therefore depends heavily on the "military support" of Ukraine by the West.
The defenders in the Ukraine war are apparently gaining territory around the city of Kharkiv.
© Carol Guzy/dpa
At the same time, US President Joe Biden announced on Saturday night (07 May) that he intends to equip Ukraine with state-of-the-art weapons in the war with Russia.
The Washington Post reports that the Pentagon will buy laser-guided missiles and pass them directly to Ukraine.
The latest generation of reconnaissance drones are also to be delivered to Kyiv.
In addition, the US would provide artillery ammunition, radars and other equipment.
According to the US State Department, the package of measures already approved for Ukraine totals $150 million.
The United States has shipped more than $3.8 billion worth of arms and ammunition to Ukraine since the war began.
Ukraine War: Bitter battle for Mariupol continues
In the Ukraine itself, the bitter fighting in the east of the country continued into the night on Saturday.
Above all, the battle for Mariupol rages on.
The center of the fighting is still the Azovstal Steelworks.
The aim of the Russian troops is said to be to conquer the factory site, which is heavily fortified with bunkers and tunnels, by May 9th.
In the previous evacuations, only civilians, mostly women, children or the elderly, were allowed to leave the plant in the direction of Ukrainian-controlled areas.
According to Kiev, there were 50 people on Friday.
On Saturday there should be another escape option.
"We are also working on diplomatic options to save our military, which still remains on Azovstal," Zelenskyy said.
War in Ukraine: UN demands opening of Odessa port
In the middle of the Ukraine war, the United Nations campaigned for the reopening of the port of Odessa on Saturday night.
The UN World Food Program said in a statement "mountains" of wheat are rotting in Ukraine because they cannot be exported due to the war with Russia.
“Ukraine's grain silos are full.
At the same time, 44 million people around the world are starving to death,” the statement said.
(dil/dpa)
