Through its Defense Minister, Oleksiï Reznikov, Ukraine said it was ready to start its spring offensive against Russian forces.
While Ukraine is due to launch shortly an operation aimed at reconquering the territories occupied in the east and south of the country by Russia, localities bordering the two countries have been hit by artillery fire from the forces of Kiev. In addition, a drone attack caused a spectacular fire in the port of Sebastopol, in annexed Crimea. Here’s what to remember from the day.
Five Russian villages and a city in the Kherson region without electricity after Ukrainian fire
Five villages in the Russian region of Belgorod, bordering Ukraine, were deprived of electricity after Ukrainian artillery fire. “The village of Novaya Tavoljanka was targeted by fire from Ukrainian forces today”local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram. “Transmission lines have been damaged”he added, specifying that this village and four other localities located nearby are without electricity.
The city of Nova Kakhovka, located in the Kherson region in southern Ukraine, was also deprived of electricity, after“intense” Ukrainian artillery fire, according to local authorities installed by Russia. “Due to intense artillery fire today…Nova Kakhovka was left without electricity”said in a press release the military and civil administration installed by Russia in this city, which had 45,000 inhabitants before the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine in February 2022.
A major fire in an oil depot in Sevastopol
After a drone attack, an impressive fire broke out in Sevastopol, in the home port of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in annexed Crimea. “A fire is underway in an oil depot in Kazatchia Bay (…). According to initial information, it was caused by a drone attack”, wrote on Telegram the occupying governor of the city, Mikhail Razvojayev, stressing that “no one was hurt”.
Sixty firefighters were dispatched to the scene to fight the fire which is raging over an area of around 1,000 m2 and should not be brought under control until evening, he added. “The situation is under control”he assured.
kyiv says it is ready for its spring offensive
“The equipment has been promised, prepared and partially delivered. In a broad sense, we are ready.” Ukraine, through its Defense Minister, Oleksiï Reznikov, said on Saturday that it was ready to start its spring offensive against Russian forces. The country wants to launch to reconquer the territories occupied in the east and the south by Russia. “Preparations are coming to an end”said Oleksiï Reznikov during a press conference. “When God wills it, (when there is) the weather and the decision of the commanders, we will do it”he added.
Russia, for its part, has mobilized hundreds of thousands of reservists.
Poland seizes Russian Lyceum building in Warsaw
Poland announced on Saturday that it had seized the building of the Russian high school in Warsaw, the Polish capital. The establishment of the Russian secondary school “will now belong to the Warsaw City Hall”, spokesman for the Polish Foreign Ministry, Lukasz Jasina, told AFP by telephone, stressing that this is a procedure of “referral by bailiff” on behalf of the municipality. The city of Warsaw has “taken possession” of the building, the city’s deputy mayor, Tomasz Bratek, said in the afternoon.
Russia immediately protested and threatened retaliatory measures. “It is an illegal act, an incursion into a diplomatic site”said its ambassador in Warsaw, Sergey Andreyev, in a video broadcast by the Russian news agency Ria Novosti. “Of course, a reaction will follow”, he said, adding that Russia would retaliate under the “principle of reciprocity”.
In March 2022, the Polish courts had ordered the authorities of the Russian Federation “to return the two buildings to their rightful owner, i.e. to the State Treasury” Polish. Since then, the Polish Ministry believed that the Russian Federation was occupying them “illegally”.