Russia is finding it difficult to provide basic public services to the population of the regions of Ukraine under its occupation, the British Ministry of Defence says in a new update.
The Ministry notes that access to safe drinking water is not sustainable, while major problems with telephone and internet operation continue.
It further stresses that there are likely to be "critical shortages" of medicines in Kherson, while Mariupol "is at risk of a major cholera outbreak". It notes that isolated cases have been reported in the region since May.
The British briefing recalls that Ukraine suffered a major cholera outbreak in 1995 and has since experienced small outbreaks, particularly around the coast of the Sea of Azov, where Mariupol is located.
It adds that medical services in Mariupol are probably already close to collapse, meaning that a major cholera outbreak in the city will further overwhelm these services.
On the military front, the British Ministry of Defence reports ongoing fighting around Severodonetsk, with the Russians back in control of most of the city. However, their forces have made little progress in trying to encircle the area from the north and south.
Kiev bombs Russian positions in Kherson
The Ukrainian military said on Friday that it had struck Russian positions in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, an area almost entirely under Russian control and where Kiev is concerned that Moscow will soon hold a referendum on its annexation.
Our air force struck Russian positions, places where equipment and personnel have gathered and warehouses around five towns in Kherson province, Ukraine's General Staff of the Army announced on Facebook today.
Almost all of Kherson province was occupied by Russian troops as early as the first days of the invasion of Ukraine, on February 24.
This province, bordering the Black and Azov Seas, covers an area of about 28,000 square kilometers and before the war counted more than one million inhabitants.
One of the Russian negotiators had mentioned on June 1 the possibility of holding a referendum in the areas of Ukraine occupied by Moscow, which Kiev opposes.
Russia had organized a referendum in 2014 on the annexation of Crimea.
Source: KYPE
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