The week started with a number of explosions that shook parts of Kyiv in the first assault on Ukraine's capital for weeks. Russia claims it targeted a site storing tanks supplied by Europe, but Ukraine says rockets hit a train repair plant where no tanks were held. Columns of black smoke could be seen above the city after the attack and at least one person was hurt. Kyiv has been largely spared in recent months as Russian forces concentrate attacks on Donbas in eastern Ukraine. The capital has felt like it is returning to some sort of normality; bars and cafes are open and people are back on the streets. But columns of black smoke rising over Kyiv in the early morning hours shattered that illusion.
And now Ukraine is starting to get long-range missile systems. The UK is sending its first long-range missiles to Ukraine despite a threat from Russia to the West. Ben Wallace said the M270 multiple-launch rocket system will help Ukraine defend itself against Russia. The government has not confirmed how many weapons will be sent, but the BBC reports that it will be three initially. The decision comes after the U.S./ announced last week it was also supplying a rocket system. The decision by Biden to send the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) has already angered Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to expand the list of targets Russia will attack in Ukraine in response.
The war has become a WWI-style artillery slugfest, with Russia enjoying a massive advantage in guns and ammo. With its Soviet-caliber ammunition running out, Ukraine and its partners have worked feverishly to transition to NATO standard guns. With 18 new Polish Krabs, Ukraine now has over 150 155mm guns, and 60 more Krabs will be arriving over the coming months, hot off the factory line. Meanwhile, new American M777s were photographed being loaded on transport planes headed to Ukraine, so the total number will soon be over 200. Ukraine has 10% more 155 mm artillery shells than its entire stockpile the day Russia invaded. And given the increased accuracy of Western systems, they don’t need to use as much to accomplish any given mission. Their burn rate is slower. Donor countries include Australia, Canada, Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom.
Another Russia general is now worm food, as Russian state media have confirmed the death of one of Moscow's top generals during heavy fighting in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. Maj Gen Roman Kutuzov was killed leading an assault on a Ukrainian settlement in the region. Alexander Sladkov said Gen Kutuzov had been commanding troops from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic. "The general had led soldiers into attack, as if there are not enough colonels," Mr Sladkov wrote on the Telegram social media app. "On the other hand, Roman was the same commander as everyone else, albeit a higher rank." Ukraine's military also confirmed the killing of Gen Kutuzov, without offering further details about the circumstances.
Currently, Ukrainian forces have currently launched a major assault on Lyptsi, north of Kharkiv. This location has been the continued source of pain and destruction for the city as Russia has used it to randomly fling artillery into schools, stores, and homes for weeks.
South of Izyum. Dovhenke was one of those places where Ukrainian forces planted themselves and fought off wave after wave of Russian advances. It’s such a small, unfortified, unprepared place that Russia was often very open about listing it as an immediate target. They even announced it had been captured, multiple times, only to discover that whatever force they sent into the village had been destroyed or driven out. How many Russian soldiers died trying to take Dovhenke is unknown, as is how many Ukrainians gave their lives in its defense. Yesterday, Russia finally captured Dovhenke.
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