Russia has ramped up its offensive in Ukraine, with ground

and air units exerting “intense fire” in all directions, Ukraine

military spokesman Oleksandr Shtupun said Thursday.
“Russian enemy increases the pace of the offensive operation.
In almost all directions, the Russian occupiers are exerting
intense fire,” he said in an operational update.
According to Shtupun, Russia is seeking to establish complete
control over the eastern territories of Donetsk and Luhansk,
increasing its aerial presence over multiple villages there.
Kharkiv is also under heavy artillery fire, he said, with Russia
moving additional airborne and technical units toward the
Izyum city.
 SHARE THIS -




Link copied

Biden to ask Congress for new Ukraine aid package Thursday

Carol E. Lee, Kristen Welker, Courtney Kube and Julie Tsirkin
10h ago / 1:53 PM IST
President Joe Biden will request Congress fund a new
supplemental aid package for Ukraine during remarks from
 the White House on Thursday morning, two sources familiar
with the matter told NBC News.
The extra funding is intended to last for the next five months,
through the end of the fiscal year, the sources said.
Administration officials earlier described the amount of the
request as “massive” but would not provide a specific dollar
amount. Some details were still not finalized, the officials said.
The military aid is expected to include capabilities Ukraine
could use now and equipment for the longer term.
Read the full story here.
 SHARE THIS -




Link copied

Aftermath in Kharkiv
Max Butterworth
11h ago / 12:55 PM IST
 A man rides a bicycle past a destroyed house in the village of
Derhachi, north of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, on
Wednesday.Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP via Getty Images
 SHARE THIS -




Link copied

Explosions boom in Russian-occupied city of Kherson

Associated Press
11h ago / 12:47 PM IST
In the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, a series of
explosions boomed near the television tower late Wednesday
and at least temporarily knocked Russian channels off the air,
Ukrainian and Russian news organizations reported.
The Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said missiles and
rockets were fired at the city from the direction of the
Ukrainian forces to the northwest. NBC News has not
independently verified the allegation.
Kherson has been occupied by Russian forces since early in
the war. Russia has been determined to strengthen its control
over the city, but residents have continued to come out onto
the streets to protest the occupation.
 Ukrainian civilians protest in Russian-controlled city of
Kherson
APRIL 28, 202204:15

 SHARE THIS -




Link copied

Russian navy can still strike Ukraine, has 20 vessels in Black Sea, U.K.
says

Phil Helsel
12h ago / 12:21 PM IST
The Russian navy is still able to hit Ukrainian targets from the
Black Sea despite the high-profile loss of its fleet's flagship,
the British defense ministry has said.
“Despite the embarrassing losses of the landing ship Saratov
and cruiser Moskva, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet retains the
ability to strike Ukrainian and coastal targets,” it said in an
intelligence update Thursday.
 The ministry said there are approximately 20 Russian naval
vessels in the Black Sea operational zone, including
submarines.
 SHARE THIS -




Link copied

Germany bought most Russian energy during first months of Ukraine

war, study finds
Associated Press
12h ago / 12:21 PM IST
An independent research group says Germany was the biggest
buyer of Russian energy during the first two months of the
war in Ukraine.
A study published by the Centre for Research on Energy and
Clean Air calculates that Russia earned $66.5 billion from
fossil fuel exports since Russian troops attacked Ukraine two
months ago.
Using data on ship movements, real-time tracking of gas flows
through pipelines and estimates based on historical monthly
trade, the researchers reckon Germany paid Russia about
$9.57 billion for fossil fuel deliveries in the first two months of
the war.
 The German government said it can’t comment on estimates,
and it declined to provide any figures of its own.
 SHARE THIS -




Link copied

Zelenskyy calls Russia cutting off gas to Poland ‘blackmail’

12h ago / 12:21 PM IST