Russia said on Thursday that its forces attacked Ukrainian armies and military targets in various regions and also downed multiple drones, while Ukraine said it repelled Russian attacks and caused damage to Russian forces and military equipment, according to their daily reports.
The latest report released by the Russian Ministry of Defense Thursday said that over the past 24 hours, Russian forces have attacked military vehicles of Ukrainian marine corps, weapon and ammunition depots, and hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers. Russian air defense system also intercepted six HIMARS rockets, destroyed 97 drones, and downed one Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet, according to the report. The Russian forces also attacked the Ukrainian energy facilities for military industry and multiple military airports, the report said.
Russian Ministry of Defense also said that over the past 24 hours, Ukraine lost over 580 soldiers, one tank, one armored personnel carrier and nine armored vehicles in the battles taking place in the direction of Kursk region.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that by Thursday afternoon its forces had engaged in 72 battles on the frontline, repelling dozens of Russian attacks in the directions including Kupyansk, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove, and causing damage to Russian soldiers and military equipment.
The acting governor of Russian Kursk Oblast said Thursday that a village in the region was attacked by Ukrainian missiles. The attack caused extensive damage to local civilian facilities but no death or injury had been reported, he said.
The Ukrainian forces said on the same day that it struck a Russian command post in Kursk Oblast, causing significant loss to Russian forces.
Escalation of fightings in the battlefields between Russia and Ukraine coincided with the growing natural gas transition tensions between the two countries.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that the United States, Ukraine and some European countries should take the responsibility of the termination of sending Russian gas to Europe through Ukrainian territory.
A statement by Zakharova on the same day said that although Gazprom fulfilled the contractual responsibilities, the Ukrainian side decided to stop transiting Russian gas to Europe. The move will not only weaken the economic potential of European countries but will also negatively affect the standard of living of their residents, she said.
The governments of some European countries sacrificed the wellbeing of their citizens in exchange for economic supports from the United States, said the spokeswoman.
Due to expiration of key agreements, Gazprom said Wednesday that it has stopped gas supply for transit through Ukraine.
The agreements, signed on Dec 30, 2019, included a contract between Gazprom and Ukraine's national oil and gas company Naftogaz on the transportation of Russian gas through the Ukrainian territory, and a cooperation agreement between the operators of the two countries' gas transmission systems. These agreements officially expired at 08:00 Moscow time (0500 GMT) Wednesday, Gazprom said on Telegram.
Gazprom said Ukraine had repeatedly and unequivocally refused to extend these agreements, leaving the Russian company without the technical and legal means to continue gas transit through Ukraine.
Consequently, the supply of Russian gas through Ukrainian territory stopped at 08:00 Moscow time Wednesday, it added.
Spokesperson for the European Commission said recently that natural gas supply from places other than Russia could be provided to central and eastern European countries via alternative pipelines and the European Commission has been coordinating with member countries for over one year on preparing to make an alternative plan.
Russia downs Ukrainian drones, Ukraine repels Russian attacks
