Ukraine war: Kyiv’s army 10 km from Bakhmut, evacuations ordered in south, fighter jet training
All the latest developments from the war in Ukraine.
Ukraine troops capture eastern village
The Ukrainian army announced Friday morning it had recaptured Andriivka, a village on the eastern front some ten kilometres from Bakhmut.
ADVERTISEMENTRussian forces suffered “significant” casualties and equipment losses, the Ukrainian General Staff wrote in its daily report.
“During their assault, they [the Ukrainian Armed Forces] liberated Andriivka in the Donetsk region,” it said.
Bakhmut, an old salt mining town that now lies in ruins, has witnessed the longest and deadliest battle of the war so far.
It was captured in March by Russian forces, with Wagner mercenaries playing a prominent role in the gruesome fighting.
Always carrying three grenades with himself – two for the enemy and one in case he had to commit suicide to avoid capture – an ex-Wagner solider told Euronews his chilling stories of the battle for Bakhmut. Read more below.
Civilians evacuated in Kherson region
Ukrainian authorities on Thursday ordered civilians in the Kherson region to evacuate.
The southern area, partly controlled by Russian forces, is regularly bombed by Moscow’s army and has seen fierce fighting during the conflict.
“The Kherson Regional Defence Council has decided to compulsorily evacuate families with children from areas under constant enemy fire,” Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram.
In the Kherson region, Russian troops control areas south of the Dnieper River. They withdrew from Kherson city last year, after a lightning advance by Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities in August recommended civilians leave ten areas in the northeastern Kharkiv region, amid a local offensive by Russian forces, though these evacuations were not obligatory.
Governor Prokoudine also indicated Kherson’s regional authorities were preparing for “emergency situations” this coming winter regarding electricity supplies.
ADVERTISEMENTRussia carried out a massive bombing campaign on Ukrainian infrastructure last winter, plunging civilians into the cold and dark during sub-zero conditions.
Behind Russia’s “terror bombing” of Ukrainian civilians, experts explained to Euronews there was a deliberate strategy. Find out more below.
Ukrainian pilots complete Swedish fighter jet training
Ukrainian pilots have completed initial training on Sweden’s Gripen fighter jets, the country said on Thursday.
“The first phase of training has ended and according to the report I received from the Swedish armed forces, it went well,” Defense Minister Pål Jonson said in an email sent to AFP.
The Swedish government announced in May it would invite pilots and other personnel from the Ukrainian Air Force to undergo training on jets made by the defence group Saab.
ADVERTISEMENTSweden has not yet confirmed whether any of these jets will be delivered to the war-torn country.
This first training will “form the basis of the ongoing work to determine” whether a shipment of Swedish Gripen planes to Ukraine is possible, Jonson added.
The United States is also training Ukrainian pilots in the handling of this combat aircraft.
Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the upcoming delivery of fighter planes by the West, saying it would only “prolong the conflict” on Tuesday.
