Russia-Ukraine war: Russia ramps up attack on Kherson region

Russia has continued to bombard Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as the war reaches its 10th month. Russian forces have sought to target the reclaimed territory of Kherson in the south by increasing its attacks as well as in the east.

The Ukrainian military said on Wednesday that Russian forces ramped up their artillery and mortar attacks on the southern Ukrainian territory of Kherson this week. The increased attacks come amidst pressure on the frontlines in eastern Ukraine. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, in its morning report, said that Russian forces fired 33 rockets from multiple rocket launchers at civilian targets in Kherson.

Fighting has also remained heavy in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Bakhmut in the eastern region of Donetsk. Heavy fighting was also taking place in the Svatove and Kremmina areas of Luhansk as Ukrainian forces were trying to break through Russian defensive lines. Officials also reported air raid sirens, but there were no reports of missile strikes and officials signaled the all-clear later on.

Previously, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba told the Associated Press that the Ukrainian government is proposing holding a summit for peace to end the war. Kuleba said the peace summit should be held at the United Nations, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres serving as the mediator. However, Kuleba said Russia should face a war crimes tribunal to be held accountable before talks take place.

Kuleba also said that other countries should feel free to engage directly with Russia, citing the grain deal that Turkey helped broker. Ukraine’s top diplomat also said that he was “absolutely satisfied” with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the United States last week and that Washington proposed a plan to fast-track the training for the Patriot missile system to less than six months as training usually takes up to a year.

A spokesperson for the UN reiterated that Guterres would only mediate if both sides wanted him to mediate.

It remains to be seen whether progress may be made for peace, as Kuleba’s comments follow the warning by Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov that Ukraine should either surrender the territories Moscow claims to annex or the Russian military will decide their fate.