Russian raid in Chernihiv: 7 dead, including a girl, and 129 wounded
The expected delivery of Western F-16 fighters will probably take months, but “training” of Ukrainian pilots “has already begun”. This was stated by Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov on the 24 Kanal television channel, according to which Ukrainian engineers and technicians are also receiving training. Reznikov did not specify where the training is taking place.
Meanwhile, Kiev is talking to Sweden “next steps” to obtain Gripen fighters. Word of the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who yesterday visited Sweden for the first time since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine 18 months ago. In a press conference with Swedish premier Ulf Kristersson, Zelensky – reports CNN – stated that test flights with Ukrainian pilots have already begun. “Today we talked about Gripen, the pride of Sweden – he said – I trust that Gripen can make our freedom much safer”.
Words spoken after the green light from the US has arrived in the past few hours, according to which Kiev will have F-16s from the Netherlands and Denmark. Ukraine, Zelensky argued from Sweden, has “excellent pilots” but “doesn’t have an edge in the skies” and lacks modern aircraft. The Ukrainian president spoke of “appropriate actions in the coming weeks” which, he believes, “will pave the way for the possibility of having these aircraft in the future”. Zelensky said he will have more meetings with “several countries” because he-he said again-“you can’t move fast on the field when the Russians control the skies”.
Kristersson also announced that Sweden and Ukraine have signed a declaration of intent for cooperation in the production, training and use of the Swedish CV-90 armored personnel carriers.
MASSACRE AT CHERNHIV
The search for the site of the Russian raid that hit Chernihiv has been completed. This was reported by the Interior Minister of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko on Telegram, providing the latest death toll: 7 dead and 129 injured, “including 15 children and 15 policemen”. A 6-year-old girl was also among the victims.
On Telegram, President Zelensky denounced a Russian missile attack that hit the city center, “a square, the polytechnic, a theatre”. According to reports gathered by the BBC, the damaged theater was hosting an event bringing together drone manufacturers. The mayor of the city, Oleksandr Lomako, announced three days of mourning after the “terrorist attack of the Russian Federation”.
KIEV COUNTEROFFENSIVE
Kiev’s armed forces are continuing their advance in southern Ukraine ”along the Mokri Yaly river, securing the village of Urozhaine in the face of tough resistance from Russia”. This is what we read in the latest British intelligence report. Furthermore, ”in the north, Russian forces continued to probe attacks in the Kupiansk area, but did not make significant progress” reads the report. “On the other side of the front, both sides face a similar challenge: trying to defeat well-entrenched forces while having limited forces to conduct new assaults,” the document said.
Source-www.adnkronos.com