The war in Ukraine is a conflict that started in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea and supported separatist rebels in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. The war has killed more than 14,000 people and displaced millions more. Despite a ceasefire agreement signed in 2015, the fighting has continued with periodic escalations and violations. Recently, Ukraine has launched a counter-offensive to regain some of the territory lost to Russia and its proxies, while Russia has intensified its military and cyber attacks on Ukraine and its allies. Here are some of the latest news and developments about the war in Ukraine:
- A Russian missile struck a school in the town of Nikopol in the central Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk on Wednesday, killing at least four people, Ukrainian officials said1. This was one of the many attacks that Russia has carried out on civilian targets in Ukraine using ballistic missiles, drones, and artillery.
- Ukraine has been widening the breach in Russia’s defences in the southern Zaporizhzhia region as its counter-offensive continues to make slow progress against Moscow’s forces2. Ukrainian forces have brought heavy equipment beyond Russia’s first line of defences near the village of Robotyne for the first time, analysts say2. This is an important sign of progress as Ukraine aims to cut off Russia’s supply lines that connect the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don to Crimea2.
- Ukraine has also made advances around Bakhmut after Russia moved some of its most experienced troops from the city to the Zaporizhzhia region2. Bakhmut has been under Russian control for several months but Ukraine has gained some ground in the surrounding areas and secured the villages of Klishchiivka and Andriivka, about 8km (five miles) south of the city2.
- Russia has maintained drone attacks on Ukraine’s River Danube ports, damaging the country’s grain export infrastructure3. The attacks have targeted barges, silos, and warehouses along the river, which is a vital lifeline for Ukraine’s economy. Ukraine has accused Russia of trying to starve its population and cripple its agriculture sector.
- Ukrainian and Russian hacktivists have agreed to comply with newly-created cyber-war rules that aim to de-escalate the online conflict between the two countries4. The rules, which were proposed by a group of international experts, prohibit attacks on critical infrastructure, hospitals, schools, media outlets, and cultural heritage sites. The rules also ban the use of ransomware, botnets, and fake news.
