By Neta Bar and Damian Pacher, Israel Hayom—
Ukrainian troops are fighting the Russian army in in the north and the south, Ukrainian military chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said Thursday afternoon.
Zaluzhnyi said a battle was raging Thursday near the Hostomel air base 7 kilometers (less than 5 miles) northwest of the capital, Kyiv.
He said that in the south, fighting was going on near Henichesk, Skadovsk and Chaplynka.
Ukrainian police on Thursday said Russia had carried out 203 attacks since the beginning of the day, with fighting going on almost everywhere throughout Ukraine’s territory.
State border guards said the Ukrainian military was fighting Russian forces near the eastern city of Sumy. Ukraine’s defense minister said some Russian forces had been taken prisoner in heavy fighting.
A boy was killed in eastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region after shelling struck an apartment building, emergency services said.
An adviser to Ukraine’s presidential office said more than 40 Ukrainian soldiers were dead and dozens wounded.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said the Russian military has destroyed 74 Ukrainian military facilities, including 11 air bases.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered that Ukrainian servicemen be treated “with respect” and those who lay down their weapons offered safe corridors.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the loss of a Su-25 attack jet due to “pilot error.”
Israel denounced Thursday the Russian invasion of Ukraine, calling it “a grave breach of international order.”
“Israel condemns the attack and is ready to offer humanitarian assistance to Ukrainian citizens,” Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said in a press statement, adding that “Israel and Ukraine have good and deep ties.” Continue Reading….