The Ukrainian port city of Odessa was hit by renewed Russian missile strikes on Saturday as military authorities in Kyiv claimed that one of their drones had sunk a second Russian ship in the Black Sea.
The counter-offensive against Russia also appears to be gaining momentum in the north, where analysts say the Ukrainian military may be able to push Russian forces out of the artillery range of the country’s second city, Kharkiv, in the coming days.
The Ukrainians’ claim that it destroyed another Russian ship – after the sinking of the warship Moscow in the Black Sea last month – was accompanied by footage showing what was allegedly a Bayraktar drone strike on a ship moored on Snake Island.
“The traditional parade of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on May 9 this year will be held near Snake Island – at the bottom of the sea,” tweeted the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Bayraktar TB2 destroyed another Russian ship. This time the landing ship of the “Serna” project. The traditional parade of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on May 9 this year will be held near Snake Island – at the bottom of the sea. pic.twitter.com/WYEPywmAwX
– Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) 7 May 2022
Satellite images analyzed by the Associated Press show the aftermath of an apparent Ukrainian drone strike on Russian positions on Snake Island on Friday, with thick black smoke rising above them.
The images show what appears to be a Russian Serna landing on the north beach of Snake Island. They were responding to another published Ukrainian military video showing a drone strike that hit it and engulfed the ship in flames.
Elsewhere, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister said all women, children and the elderly had been evacuated from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol.
Ukraine said 50 civilians were evacuated on Friday, but accused Russia of violating a ceasefire aimed at allowing dozens of others still trapped at the plant to leave.
The latest evacuees were followed by about 500 others who were allowed to leave the plant and other parts of the city in recent days.
In Moscow, meanwhile, Russia’s top lawmaker has accused the United States of coordinating military operations in Ukraine, which he said represents direct US involvement in hostilities against Russia.
“Washington is essentially coordinating and developing military operations, thus directly participating in hostilities against our country,” Vyacheslav Volodin wrote in his Telegram channel.
Washington and European members of NATO’s transatlantic alliance have delivered heavy weapons to Kyiv to help it withstand the Russian offensive, which led to the occupation of parts of eastern and southern Ukraine but failed to take Kyiv.
However, the United States and its NATO allies have repeatedly said they will not take part in the battles themselves to avoid becoming parties to the conflict.
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The conflict in Ukraine has dealt a “heavy blow” to some of Russia’s most combat-ready parts, according to its latest intelligence report from the UK’s Ministry of Defense.
At least one T-90M, Russia’s most advanced tank, has been destroyed in combat, the ministry added. “Russia will need significant time and money to rebuild its armed forces after this conflict,” the report said.
The Washington-based think tank, the Institute for War Research, also said in its latest assessment that the Ukrainian military may be able to push Russian forces “out of Kharkov’s artillery reach in the coming days,” providing a break for the city. and the ability to build the momentum of defenders “in a successful, broader counter-offensive.”
Meanwhile, several missiles hit Odessa earlier Saturday, according to a spokesman for Ukraine’s local government, after targets in the surrounding region were hit by four missiles earlier.
The strikes outside the city were from four Russian cruise missiles fired from planes, according to Natalia Humeniuk, a spokeswoman for the Southern Operational Command of the Ukrainian military.
She added that the strike was aimed at the town of Arkiz and no one was injured.
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