Russia-Ukraine war live: Putin tries to claim Russia isn’t after Kharkiv – despite massive attack on region
Volodymyr Zelensky claims his forces have ‘stabilised’ a Russian attack in northeast Kharkiv region
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Your support makes all the difference.Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed there are “no plans” to take the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv despite tens of thousands of his forces having recently stormed across the border into the region and getting within artillery range of the city.
Speaking on the second day of his two-day tour of China, Putin claimed he had ordered the attack to create a “buffer zone” between Ukrainian soldiers and the Russian region of Belgorod.
When asked if Russian forces planned to take control of Kharkiv city, some 20 miles from the current fighting, Putin said: “As for Kharkiv, there are no such plans as of today.”
While Ukrainian officials and military analysts maintain that Russian forces in the Kharkiv region do not have the manpower or weaponry to take its namesake capital, and that the attack is likely an attempt to create a “buffer zone”, as Putin puts it, as well as draw Ukrainian forces away from other battles further east, there is little doubt that Russia would try to invade the city if it had the capability.
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At least two dead in Russian airstrike in Kharkiv, officials say
At least two people have been killed and a further 13 wounded after Russian forces fired bombs at Kharkiv city, officials in the region have announced.
The governor of the wider Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, said the Russians strike twice using “anti-aircraft guns”.
Igor Terekhov, mayor of Kharkiv, home to around 1.3 million civilians, announced the explosions just after 1.30pm GMT. Around 10 minutes ago, he updated the death toll of the strike to two.
“Already two dead and 13 wounded,” he said. Four of those injured are in serious condition.
We will bring you more details when we can. At this point, there is no footage or photos of the affected area.
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Why did Russian forces advance in the Kharkiv region?
While Putin maintains that his forces are not trying to take Kharkiv city but rather create a “buffer zone” in the region, the question of how his troops were able to occupy more than 50 square miles of territory and advance up to six miles into the region remain unanswered.
In just one week - the surprise attack started in the early hours of last Friday - Russian forces have made noticeable gains, though they may not prove significant.
Below, military analyst Emil Kastehelmi has gone into depth about how the attack was unable to unfold. He helps run the Black Bird Group, which has tracked the war in Ukraine daily for more than two years.
Russian missile damages civilian infrastructure in Ukraine's Odesa region
A Russian missile attack has damaged civilian infrastructure and injured at least five people in Ukraine‘s southern Odesa region, the regional governor said.
Three people were hospitalized, Oleh Kiper added on the Telegram messaging app.
“In the Odessa district, a heavy fire occurred at the site,” he said.
Ukraine‘s air force said Russia had launched at least four missiles, and local chats reported a series of powerful explosions.
Russian troops also attacked the region overnight with drones that Ukraine said it had downed.
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We’re pausing our live coverage of the Ukraine war this evening but keep checking independent.co.uk for the latest updates.
Ukrainian drone attack kills one in Belgorod in southern Russia, governor says
A Ukrainian drone attack killed one person and injured another in southern Russia's Belgorod region, Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Friday.
Gladkov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said the drone hit the village of Novaya Naumovka, just inside the Russian border, where the two residents were tending a garden.
Russia's Defence Ministry later reported that air defence units had intercepted and destroyed 14 multiple-launch rockets originating in Ukraine.
Reuters could not independently confirm the reports.
Ukraine has launched frequent drone and shelling attacks on Belgorod and other Russian regions on its border.
Ukrainian drone attack kills one in Belgorod in southern Russia, governor says
A Ukrainian drone attack killed one person and injured another in southern Russia's Belgorod region, Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Friday.
Gladkov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said the drone hit the village of Novaya Naumovka, just inside the Russian border, where the two residents were tending a garden.
Russia's Defence Ministry later reported that air defence units had intercepted and destroyed 14 multiple-launch rockets originating in Ukraine.
Reuters could not independently confirm the reports.
Ukraine has launched frequent drone and shelling attacks on Belgorod and other Russian regions on its border.
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