Russia surprises Kyiv with ground attacks in northeast

Ukrainian police seen evacuating elderly civilians. Pic/AP

Russian forces began renewed ground assault on Ukraine's northeast regions, killing and injuring several people and forcing more than 1,700 civilians to evacuate from the Kharkiv region on Saturday. "Artillery, mortar, and aerial bombardments hit more than 30 towns and villages, leaving at least three people dead and five injured," said Kharkiv governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Russian military bloggers said the assault could mark the start of a Russian attempt to carve out a buffer zone that President Vladimir Putin vowed to create earlier this year to halt the frequent Ukrainian attacks on Belgorod and other Russian border regions. As a part of this insurgency, Russian forces have captured five villages and launched a missile strike at Ukraine's Russian-occupied Luhansk region, setting ablaze an oil depot and killing four people.

Although Ukraine said it was aware that Russia was assembling thousands of troops along the northeastern border, the recent strike came as a surprise. On Friday, Zelenskyy confirmed the expansion of the Russian operations and also called on the country's Western allies to ensure that promised deliveries of military aid would swiftly reach the country's frontlines. To help Ukraine hold off further Russian advances, the US announced a new $400 million package of military aid. This is the third tranche of aid for Ukraine since Congress passed supplemental funding in late April after months of gridlock.

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