Ukrainian troops, on the defensive for four months, will launch a long-awaited counterassault “very soon” now that Russia’s huge winter offensive is losing steam without taking Bakhmut, Ukraine’s top ground forces commander said on Thursday. FIGHTING
* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the southern region of Kherson, where he toured local infrastructure and promised to rebuild following Russia’s invasion. * British military intelligence said Russia had partially regained control over the approaches to the eastern Ukrainian town of Kreminna, after its troops were pushed back from the region earlier this year.
* Russian forces have left the town of Nova Kakhovka in southern Kherson region, the Ukrainian military’s General Staff said, but a Russian-installed official in the region denied the troops had left. * Reuters could not immediately verify battlefield reports.
DIPLOMACY * European Union leaders held talks with U.N. chief Antonio Guterres on global food security and sanctions against Russia, and also endorsed a plan to supply more artillery shells to Kyiv.
* Finland’s defence minister said he did not want to donate Hornet fighter jets to Ukraine. “We need these Hornets to secure our own country,” Antti Kaikkonen said. * Slovakia has handed over the first four MiG-29 jets it has pledged to Ukraine, with the rest to be delivered in coming weeks.
* Any attempt to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for the Kremlin chief would amount to a declaration of war against Russia, his ally Dmitry Medvedev said. * Hungary would not arrest Putin if he entered the country, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff said.
* Russian leaders should be put on trial for the invasion of Ukraine even if they cannot be arrested and brought to court in person, Kyiv’s top prosecutor said. * Peace plans and pipelines: What came out of the Putin-Xi talks?
QUOTE Zelenskiy: “We will restore everything, we will rebuild everything.”
(Compiled by Reuters editors)
(This story has not been edited by Newsd staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
