Russian-occupied Kherson cut off as Ukraine counter-attacks – Britain

July 28 (Reuters) – A Ukrainian counter-offensive has just about cut off the Russian-occupied southern metropolis of Kherson and left 1000’s of Russian troops stationed close to the Dnipro River “highly vulnerable”, British defence and intelligence officers stated on Thursday.

Ukraine has made clear it intends to recapture Kherson, which fell to Russia within the early days of the invasion launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Feb 24.

Britain’s Defence Ministry stated Ukrainian forces have in all probability established a bridgehead south of the Ingulets River, and had used new, lengthy-vary artillery to wreck at the very least three of the bridges crossing the Dnipro.

“Russia’s 49th Army, stationed on the west bank of the Dnipro River, now looks highly vulnerable,” it stated in an everyday intelligence bulletin on Twitter, including that Kherson was just about cut off from the opposite territories occupied by Russia.

“Its loss would severely undermine Russia’s attempts to paint the occupation as a success.”

Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, earlier tweeted that Russia was concentrating “the maximum number of troops” within the route of the Kherson however gave no particulars.

Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, stated Russia was conducting a “massive redeployment” of forces from the east to the south in what amounted to a strategic shift from assault to defence.

Zelenskiy stated Ukraine would rebuild the Antonivskyi bridge over the Dnipro and different crossings within the area.

“We are doing everything to ensure that the occupying forces do not have any logistical opportunities in our country,” he stated in a Wednesday night handle.

Russian officers had earlier stated they might flip as a substitute to pontoon bridges and ferries to get forces throughout the river.

Russian-backed forces on Wednesday stated they’d captured the Soviet-era coal-fired Vuhlehirsk energy plant, Ukraine’s second-largest, in what was Moscow’s first vital acquire in additional than three weeks. learn extra

DIPLOMACY

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 in what Moscow calls a “special military operation” to demilitarise and “denazify” its neighbour. Ukraine and its allies name the invasion an unprovoked struggle of aggression.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated he deliberate a telephone dialog with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov – the primary between the 2 diplomats since earlier than the beginning of the struggle.

The name within the coming days wouldn’t be “a negotiation about Ukraine,” Blinken stated at a information convention, restating Washington’s place that any talks on ending the struggle should be between Kyiv and Moscow.

Russia has obtained no formal request from Washington a few telephone name between Blinken and Lavrov, TASS information company reported.

The United States has made “a substantial offer” to Russia for it to launch U.S. residents WNBA star Brittney Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, Blinken stated, with out giving particulars of what the United States was providing in return. learn extra

Blinken stated he would press Lavrov to answer the supply.

A supply conversant in the scenario confirmed a CNN report that Washington was keen to trade Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout, who’s serving a 25 yr-jail sentence within the United States, as a part of a deal.

Aside from discussing Americans detained by Russia, Blinken stated he would elevate with Lavrov the tentative deal on grain exports reached final week between Russia, the United States, Turkey and Ukraine.

Russia decreased gasoline flows to Europe on Wednesday in an power stand-off with the European Union. It has blocked grain exports from Ukraine since invading, however on Friday agreed to permit deliveries via the Black Sea to Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait and on to international markets. learn extra

The deal was nearly instantly thrown into doubt when Russia fired cruise missiles at Odesa, Ukraine’s largest port, on Saturday, simply 12 hours after the deal was signed.

Before the invasion and subsequent sanctions, Russia and Ukraine accounted for practically a 3rd of world wheat exports.

Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Grant McCool and Stephen Coates; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Lincoln Feast.

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.