Summary of the Events of the Day
Ukraine is focusing on retaking Kherson, the only major city that has been occupied by Russian forces and pushing back Russian forces from Kharkiv to relieve the second-largest city in Ukraine from constant artillery fire. Along the Donbas Contact Line Ukraine will simply play defense for now which is under heavy attack from Russian forces. Russia began a concerted effort to break through the defense lines of Zaporizhia, another important city that controls the water supply to Crimea. Except for a few kinks in the chain, Ukraine is holding their ground in the Donbas and Zaporizhia.
Battle for the Donbas (Donetsk, Luhansk, Mariupol)
Russia conducted nearly two dozen concerted attacks on Ukrainian positions along the Donbas Contact Line with some success. The biggest loss to Ukraine was the loss of the city of Kreminna after ten days of intense street fighting. Russian forces have also moved into Popasna placing that city under contest as well as street fighting has commenced. Russian forces also are fiercely attacking Balaklia from their position at Izyum with the goal of taking Slovyansk and Kramatorsk from the north.
Russian forces shelled civilians all along the Donbas Contact Line. In Avdiivka they destroyed the central hospital, a school, and a high-rise apartment building. At least two people were killed.
Russia conducted 35 air strikes of the Azovstal steel mill, the last bastion held by Ukrainian forces. Hundreds of civilians have been buried under the rubble.
Battle for Southern Ukraine (Kherson, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhia, and Odesa)
Russian forces are staging an attempt to reach Zaporizhia again with concerted attacks on Trudoliubivka, Polohy, Vasylivka, and Molochansk.
Russia launched three missiles against Zaporizhia on Tuesday morning. Two of them hit businesses and the third exploded in the air. One person was killed in the attacks. Later in the day a missile was fired against Spasivka, but it was shot down.
Ukrainian forces have moved up to Chornobaivka on the edge of Kherson, only 6 miles from the center of Kherson. Ukrainian forces also blew up a Russian weapons depot in Velyka Oleksandrivka.
A Russian missile blew up the bridge over the Dniester estuary at Zatoka.
Battle for Kharkiv
Kharkiv continues to be shelled by Russian forces. Three people died and seven were injured on Tuesday.
Other Regions
A missile was fired at Dnipro but was shot down.
Other News
Two radio towers in the Russian-occupied Transnistria region of Moldova were damaged from explosions. Rumors are that Russia is attempting to create a false flag event to justify an invasion of the rest of Moldova as they did with Ukraine.
A monument under the Arch of Friendship of Peoples in Kyiv was dismantled nearly forty years after it had been erected by the Soviet Union to mark the unification of the Russian and Ukrainian people. The monument was of a Ukrainian and a Russian man together holding up the Soviet Order of Friendship of Peoples. A crack was painted into the arch after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014. The Arch will be renamed the Arch of Freedom of the Ukrainian People.
Russia suspended gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria.
International Support
Forty countries, on invitation from the U.S., gathered in Germany to discuss the future security of Ukraine. The countries agreed to meet monthly. One of the results is that Germany changed their course again and pledged to send anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine.
The UK has pledged to send Ukraine armored vehicles that can fire anti-aircraft missiles.
Poland expanded their sanctions against 50 Russian individuals and Gazprom, Russia’s oil company.
The Netherlands has suspended issuing travel visas to all Russians.
The International Ice Hockey Federation has rescinded their approval of hosting the 2023 World Cup in Russia.