Ukraine’s forces strengthen their positions in Russia

Ukrainian forces claim to have strengthened their positions over the Russian border, sending 120,000 people fleeing.

A destroyed border crossing point near the Ukrainian-controlled Russian town of Sudzha, Kursk region. Picture: AFP

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Ukrainian forces claim to have strengthened their positions over the Russian border, where Kyiv has been mounting a major ground offensive for almost two weeks, sending 120,000 people fleeing.

Moscow accused Ukraine of destroying a key bridge over a river in the Kurks region, as Kyiv seeks to disrupt supply routes and the movement of Moscow’s troops in the area.

“As of this morning, we have ­replenished the exchange fund for our country,” President Volo­dymyr Zelensky said overnight on Saturday, referring to Russian soldiers Ukraine has captured to be used in future prisoner swaps.

“The operation is proceeding exactly as we expected.”

Ukraine claims to have seized more than 1100sq km of Russian territory in the biggest attack by a foreign army on Russian soil since World War II. It also claims to have taken control of more than 80 settlements including the key town of Sudzha in its lightning incursion, which caught the Kremlin off guard 2½ years into its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces said they had thwarted a Russian missile attack on the capital where air raid sirens sounded before dawn on Sunday. Simultaneously, drones were spotted heading to Kyiv.

“All enemy drones were destroyed far outside the city,” Kyiv’s military administration said.

No damage or casualties were reported from the attack, which the administration said had “most likely used North Korean ballistic missiles of the KN-23 type”.

The US and Seoul have accused North Korea of providing ammunition and missiles to Russia.

Concern has deepened after Moscow vowed a “tough response” to the recent Ukrainian advance into Russian territory.

The Russian defence ministry said on Saturday (Sunday AEST) that it had pushed back Ukrainian forces near three settlements in Kursk, and was searching for ­“mobile enemy groups” trying to pierce deeper into the country.

Russian officials accused Ukraine of striking a strategically important bridge just two dozen kilometres away from the fighting. Kursk Governor Alexei Smirnov said the bridge crossed the Seym river about 7km from the border.

An aerial video published by Ukrainian air force commander Mykola Oleshchuk appeared to show the bridge being hit by a projectile at high speed before collapsing in a cloud of smoke.

“Ukrainian pilots are conducting precision strikes on enemy strongholds, equipment concentrations, as well as on enemy logistics centres and supply routes,” he said on Telegram.

The Russian foreign ministry said the bridge was “completely destroyed” and that “volunteers providing assistance to the evacuated civilian population were killed”.

“All those responsible for these inhumane acts will be severely punished,” a spokeswoman said.

Russia also accused Ukraine of dropping an explosive charge on a road near the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.

The plant, seized by Russia’s forces early in the war, has come under repeated attacks for which each side has blamed the other.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi expressed his alarm at the latest incident.

“I remain extremely concerned and reiterate my call for maximum restraint from all sides,” he said.

An IAEA statement, summarising what its on-site team had told them, said: “The team has heard frequent explosions, repetitive heavy machine gun and rifle fire and artillery at various distances from the plant.”

The IAEA has repeatedly urged restraint, saying it fears reckless military action could trigger a major nuclear accident. Kyiv and Moscow traded blame last weekend after a fire broke out at a cooling tower at the plant.

While Ukraine’s incursion into Russia has boosted Kyiv, it appears to have had little impact on the larger battles raging in Russian-occupied parts of eastern Ukraine.

Mr Zelensky said on Saturday that there had been “dozens of Russian assaults” on Ukrainian positions near the towns of Pokrovsk and Toretsk, where Moscow has made a string of advances in recent weeks.

“Our soldiers and units are doing everything to destroy the occupier and repel the attacks,” Mr Zelensky said, stressing the situation was “under control”.

AFP