Russian strikes prompt mass evacuation in 37 towns, villages

Ukrainian authorities ordered a mandatory evacuation Thursday of nearly 12000 civilians from 37 towns and villages in the eastern Kharkiv region where Russian forces reportedly are making a concerted effort to punch through the front lineThe local military administration in Kharkivrsquos Kupiansk district said residents must comply with the evacuation order or sign a document saying they would stay at their own risk Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar had said the previous day that ldquothe intensity of combat and enemy shelling is highrdquo in the areaThe city of Kupiansk and the territories around it were under Russian occupation until September 2022 when Ukrainian forces conducted a rapid offensive operation that dislodged the Kremlinrsquos forces from nearly the entire Kharkiv regionThe retaking of those areas strengthened Ukrainersquos arguments that its troops could deliver more stinging defeats to Russia with additional armament deliveries which its Western allies duly provided But as Ukraine has pursued a slowmoving counteroffensive in recent weeks Russian forces have struck back in some of the areasRussia has concentrated assault troops supported by tank units aviation and artillery in the Kupiansk area It has formed eight socalled lsquoStormZrsquo detachmentsmdashmade up of convicts released from prison acting under military commandersmdashfor the push and fighting in the area was ldquointenserdquo according to Ukrainian Armed ForcesBiden pushes Congress for more aid to UkraineWASHINGTON The Biden administration has asked Congress to provide more than 13 billion in emergency defense aid to Ukraine and an additional 8 billion for humanitarian support through the end of the yearmdashanother infusion of cash as the Russian invasion wears on and Ukraine pushes a counteroffensive against the Kremlinrsquos deeply entrenched forces While the last such supplemental spending request from the White House for Ukraine funding was easily approved in 2022 despite reservations from Republicans therersquos a different dynamic this timeFootballer leaves Russian soccer clubRussian soccer club Dynamo Moscow said Norwegian midfielder Mathias Normann terminated his contract with the team and left Russia after a drone strike on buildings near the neighborhood where he lived Normann was one of the few players from western Europe to play for a Russian club after the countryrsquos military invasion of Ukraine started in February last year a decision that saw him exiled from Norwayrsquos national teamWest wants annexed regions returnedSix Western nationsmdashthe US UK France Albania Japan and Maltamdashmarked the 15th anniversary of Russiarsquos takeover of 20 per cent of Georgiarsquos territory by demanding that Moscow return the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regionsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever