It took just one day to dash any hopes raised about limiting Russian military operations only in eastern Ukraine, in the Donbass region, which Moscow wants "independent" and outside Ukrainian territory.
While the Kremlin's announcement of the move to the second phase of the operation was made on Friday, it turned out that throughout Saturday the Russian military was consumed with attacks in northeastern Ukraine. Even if part of this targeting is attributed to Moscow's willingness to make a show of force because Joe Biden was in neighbouring Poland at the time for an official visit, it is also clear that whatever target the Kremlin deems of strategic importance and at any point in Ukraine, it will operate against it. Whether it is Lviv, where military aid from the West passes through to Ukraine, or whether it is to control "nuclear" targets, such as a research center facility in Kharkiv and the seizure of the town where Chernobyl personnel live - all far from Donbass.
Even US President Biden, when asked about this yesterday, expressed doubts about whether there is a change of strategy by Moscow in its military operations in Ukraine.
Yesterday's escalation of Russian attacks in Ukraine's northwest, around Kiev and Kharkiv, came shortly before or after Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reiterated the scenario of Polish involvement in the war.
As he said late Saturday night and after meeting with Joe Biden that morning, he received American reassurance that Washington has no objection to Poland providing fighter jets for Ukraine's defense.
"The ball is now in Poland's court, we need fighters to find a balance in the sky," Kuleba said, adding that Kiev and Warsaw are considering this issue and results are expected soon.
It will be recalled that in early March, the Polish government had expressed willingness to provide all Mig-29 aircraft for Ukraine's defense, but not directly itself, but only through the United States. Washington had then refused to engage in this process, calling Warsaw's proposal "unviable". It is now unknown whether the US administration actually changed its attitude and offered to do more in practical terms, whether it enthusiastically urged the two sides to go ahead with cooperation, or whether it simply did not object to such a prospect.
Attacks in Kharkiv, Lviv and around Kiev
Yesterday alone, Russian forces engaged in major operations around Kiev, Lviv and Kharkiv. Particularly in this last martyred city, besieged since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the target was a nuclear research center, which came under fire against a nuclear research center in Kharkiv.
"At the moment it is impossible to estimate the extent of damage due to the hostilities that do not stop in the area of the nuclear facility," announced the Russian parliament, which cited the state regulatory nuclear inspection authority.
A short time earlier it was reported that the Russians also occupied Slavutik, the town where Chernobyl personnel live.
In Lviv the situation is becoming nightmarish after the Russians launched missile attacks against infrastructure, a fuel depot inside the town and military targets. As reported, the bombing was terrifying. Reports say that residents are even stocking up on masks fearing a chemical attack, while local authorities are also preparing for fighting inside the city.
But the Russians also bombed oil depots in Rivne, which is a few kilometers northeast of Lviv.
Cities near Kiev were also targeted, such as Chernihiv, where the bridge connecting it to the capital was destroyed. This is a town of 130,000 inhabitants, who were left without basic services such as electricity, heating and drinking water. The city is also close to the border with Belarus.
However, there was also a successful Ukrainian counter-attack. Ukrainian forces regained control of the town of Trostyanets, in the Sumy region, northwest of Kharkiv, after fierce fighting with Russian soldiers.
Source.gr
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