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Fierce fighting continued in southern and eastern Ukraine on Thursday as both sides looked to be preparing for a battle over the strategically crucial city of Kherson in the south, part of a region Russian President Vladimir Putin has 'annexed' and subjected to martial law. Follow FRANCE 24's liveblog for all the latest developments. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).
10:49am: 'Everyone does what they can': Ukraine's Mikhailivka recovers from occupation
Mikhailivka, a quiet town on the Dnipro river in southern Ukraine, was one of the first in Kherson region to be captured during the Russian invasion – and things are slowly getting back to normal after the Ukrainian military retook it on October 2. FRANCE 24 reports.
10:32am: Iran advises citizens to refrain from Ukraine travel
Iran's foreign ministry advised its citizens on Friday to refrain from traveling to Ukraine and asked Iranians there to leave the country, semi-official news agencies reported.
"Due to the military escalation in Ukraine, all Iranians are strongly advised to refrain from traveling to Ukraine. Also, Iranians living in Ukraine are advised to leave the country for their own safety," a ministry statement said.
8:54am: EU weighs Ukraine support as new refugee exodus beckons
European Union leaders are gathering Friday to take stock of their support for Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia is trying to spark a refugee exodus by destroying his war-ravaged country’s energy infrastructure.
Nearly eight months into the war, Russia is increasingly targeting Ukraine’s power stations, waterworks and other key infrastructure with missile and drone strikes. Meanwhile, the EU is struggling with the fallout of having to urgently wean itself off Russian gas and oil as the war fuels price hikes and market nervousness.
In a speech via video link to European leaders in Brussels on Thursday, Zelensky said that “attacks by Russian cruise missiles and Iranian combat drones have destroyed more than a third of our energy infrastructure. Because of this, unfortunately we are no longer able to export electricity to help you maintain stability.”
7:55am: Explosions heard in Ukraine's Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia
A series of blasts rocked the Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia on Friday, authorities said, after Russian forces stepped up missile strikes on Ukraine in the past few weeks, targeting electric power facilities.
Missiles hit an industrial facility in Kharkiv on Friday, its mayor, Ihor Terekhov, said, adding that rescuers had yet to assess the damage and determine if there were casualties.
Separately, Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Sinegubov said five people had been wounded.
The information on the Zaporizhzhia blasts was provided by regional governor Oleksandr Starukh.
12:00am: Russian, Ukrainian troops prepare for major battle in Kherson
Russian and Ukrainian troops appeared Thursday to be girding for a major battle over the strategic southern industrial port city of Kherson, in a region which Russian President Vladimir Putin has illegally annexed and subjected to martial law.
Fighting and evacuations were reported in the Kherson region as Moscow tried to pound the invaded country into submission with more missile and drone attacks on critical infrastructure.
Putin declared martial law in the Kherson, Luhansk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions on Wednesday in an attempt to assert Russian authority in the annexed areas as he faced battlefield setbacks, a troubled troop mobilisation, increasing criticism at home and abroad, and international sanctions.
The unsettled status of the illegally absorbed territory was especially visible in the Kherson region’s capital, where Russian military officials have replaced Kremlin-installed civilian leaders as part of martial law that took effect Thursday to defend against a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Kherson city, with a prewar population of about 284,000, was one of the first urban areas Russia captured when it invaded Ukraine, and it remains the largest city it holds. It is a prime target for both sides because of its key industries and major river port. Reports of sabotage and assassinations of Russian-installed officials in Kherson have surfaced for months, in what appeared to be one of the most active Ukrainian resistance movements in occupied territory.
Russian-installed officials have urged residents to evacuate for their safety and to allow the military to build fortifications. Officials said 15,000 residents of an expected 60,000 had been relocated from the city and surrounding areas as of Thursday.
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office said Thursday that Ukrainian forces mounted 15 attacks on Russian military strongholds in the Kherson region. For its part, Russia’s Defense Ministry spokesman said the Kremlin’s forces repelled Ukrainian attempts to advance with tanks on the Kherson villages of Sukhanove, Nova Kamianka and Chervonyi Yar.
(FRANCE 24 with AP, AFP and REUTERS)
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