Russia pulls back from contested Snake Island south of Ukraine

Russia pulled its forces back from a strategically located Black Sea island, where they faced constant Ukrainian attacks, but continued its push to encircle Ukraine’s last bulwark in the eastern provinces of Luhansk.

Russia’s Defence Ministry saidIt retreated its forces from Zmiyinyy Island (Snake) off Ukraine’s Black Sea port Odesa as a “goodwill gesture.” Ukraine’s military saidAfter a barrage with missile and artillery strikes from Ukraine, the Russians fled the island by speedboats.

Lt.-Gen. Igor Konashenkov, spokesperson for the Russian Defence Ministry, stated that the withdrawal was meant to show that the Russian Federation wasn’t hindering the United Nations’ efforts to establish a humanitarian corridor to take agricultural products from Ukraine.

Both the West and Ukraine have accused Russia of blocking Ukrainian ports to prevent grain exports. This has contributed to the global food crisis. Russia denied the allegations and said that Ukraine should remove seamines from the Black Sea in order to ensure safe navigation.

Turkey attempted to broker a deal on Ukraine’s grain exports, but talks have stalled without any sign of rapid progress. Kyiv expressed concern that Russia could use the deal as a pretext to attack Odesa.

Reaction from Andriy Ermak, Ukraine presidential adviser

Russia took control over the island, which lies on a busy shipping route, in the early days of war in an apparent attempt to control the area and use the island as a staging ground to attack Odesa.

The Russian warship demanded surrender or bombardment from the Ukrainian troops on the island. This was the epitome of Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion. “Russian warship,” was the reply. “Go f–k yourself.”

The Russians captured the Ukrainian defenders of the Island, but they later released them as part of a prisoner swap.

Since the island was captured, the Ukrainian military has been relentlessly bombarding a small Russian garrison as well as air defense assets.

Russia’s focus on Lysychansk

Moscow continued its push for control over the entire Donbas region in the east of Ukraine on Thursday. It is now focusing on Lysychansk as the last Ukrainian stronghold in Luhansk. Russian troops and their separatist comrades control 95 percent of Luhansk. The other half of Donetsk, which are the two provinces that form the majority Russian-speaking Donbas, is under the control of Russian troops.

The Ukrainian General Staff saidRussian troops were seen bombarding Lysychansk as well as clashing with Ukrainian defenders at the oil refinery near the city’s edge.

Putin critics continue to press for change outside of Russia:| Putin critics continue to press for change outside of Russia:

Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai saidRussian reconnaissance units attempted to enter Lysychansk on Wednesday, but were repulsed by the Ukrainian forces. He saidThe Russians tried to block a highway that was used to transport supplies and completely encircle the city.

“The Russians have sent practically all of their forces to seize this city,” Haidai said.

Speaking during a visit to Turkmenistan early Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin saidHis goals in Ukraine haven’t changed since the beginning of the war. He saidThey were “the liberation and protection of the Donbas people, as well as the creation of conditions that would ensure the security of Russia.” 

After failing to seize Kyiv at the beginning of the conflict, he denied that Russia had changed its strategy.

“As can be seen, the troops are moving forward and reaching the marks set for them at a particular stage of their combat work. All is going according to plan,” Putin saidTurkmenistan, at a news conference.

For victims of the mall missile attack, funerals will be held

Funerals were held in central Ukraine for the 18 victims of Monday’s Russian missile attack on a Kremenchuk shopping center. Crews continued to search the rubble for 20 more people who are still missing.

Svitlana Rybalko, a press officer for the Ukrainian State Emergency Services, told The Associated Press that investigators discovered fragments from eight additional bodies in addition to the 18 bodies. It was unclear if that meant there were more victims. A number of survivors were left with severed limbs.

According to Gov. Vitaliy Kim. Six other people were also hurt. Mykolaiv is a major port and seizing it — as well as Odesa farther west — would be key to Russia’s objective of cutting off Ukraine from its Black Sea coast.

The attack on the mall resulted in Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, accusing Russia of being a “terrorist state”. On Wednesday, he criticized NATO for failing to equip his embattled nation with modern artillery and other weapons. He warned NATO leaders that they had to either provide Ukraine with the assistance it needed to defeat Russia, or face a “delayed war between Russia’s and yours.”

In an interview with CBC News this week, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg acknowledged the fact that Western military aid is “not sufficient.”

On Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron of France told NATO summit in Spain that France would soon send six more CESAR howitzers for Ukraine. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden of the United States said saidWashington will announce an additional $800 million US in weapons aid for Ukraine in the coming days.

“We will support Ukraine for as long as it takes,” said Biden.

Canada is working to finalize a deal with Ukraine to provide 39 armoured support vehicles (ACSVs), Prime minister Justin Trudeau announced in Madrid on Thursday.

Jacinda, the New Zealand Prime Minister, was one of several world leaders invited to the summit. However, she reiterated her support for NATO and pleaded Wednesday not to allow the legacy from the Ukraine war to become a arms race.