Ukraine Confirms Russian Attacks in ‘Annexed’ Kherson, Denies Advances

The Russian military on Monday claimed it was able to make advances against Ukrainian forces in the Kherson and Kursk regions.

Ukraine disputed these claims and blasted Russia for once again launching missiles at civilian targets, while the Russians accused Ukraine of hitting populated areas with their own artillery shells.

Russian officials told the state-run Tass news agency on Monday that Russian artillery “wiped out two Ukrainian artillery squads in the Kherson region,” killing seven Ukrainian troops. The Russians claim to have destroyed a Ukrainian self-propelled artillery gun and a 120mm mortar with its ammunition.

“It was earlier reported that the Ukrainian military fired 18 shells against populated areas on the left bank of the Dnieper River in the Kherson Region overnight to January 30,” Tass added.

The Ukrainian government said three people were killed and “about ten” were injured by Russian artillery attacks on civilian structures in Kherson, including a garage, a hospital, a school, and residential buildings.

Local officials in the city of Mykolaiv also reported Russian artillery strikes against residential structures and farm buildings, but said no casualties were inflicted. Mykolaiv was subjected to intense shelling and missile attacks last spring and summer, including a strike that almost killed the regional governor.

Russian officials also claimed to make territorial gains after heavy fighting in the eastern Kursk region, a claim disputed by a Ukrainian spokesman who insisted “we did not lose our positions.”

On Friday, Bloomberg News reported Russian leader Vladimir Putin is planning a new offensive against Ukraine, beginning as soon as next month. Bloomberg’s alleged sources said a new round of military mobilization could begin shortly after the offensive gets underway, despite public denials by the Kremlin.

“The Kremlin aims to demonstrate that its forces can regain the initiative after months of losing ground, putting pressure on Kyiv and its backers to agree to some kind of truce that leaves Russia in control of the territory it now occupies,” Bloomberg said.

“U.S. and European military officials fear the conflict could soon settle into a World War I-style artillery fight with largely stagnant front lines, a scenario that could come to favor Russia, with its larger population and military industry,” the report noted, an outcome that could be presaged by Russia’s claims of winning artillery duels and taking small amounts of ground on Monday.