FForeign analysts say Russia is attacking Ukraine as Russian troops are trying to reorganize their troops for a new attack. It states that it may be temporarily mitigated.
On Wednesday, Russian troops did not claim or evaluate the acquisition of territory "for the first time in a 133-day war" in Ukraine, according to the War Institute. Washington-based think tanks have suggested that Moscow may have taken an "operational suspension," but that is not accompanied by a "total suspension of active hostilities."
"Russian troops set conditions for more important offensive operations and attempted to rebuild the fighting power needed to attempt more ambitious projects, so relatively small-scale offensive actions It is likely to stay at the institute, "said the institute.
Thursday's statement from the Russian Defense Ministry seems to have confirmed the assessment. Russian military forces involved in the fighting in Ukraine said they were given time to rest.
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"Combat The mission during the special military operation of the unit that carried out is taking measures to restore combat capability. Military personnel will be given the opportunity to rest and receive letters and parcels from their homes, "Russian national news agency Tas. Read the statement quoted by.
The shootings continued in eastern Ukraine, killing at least nine civilians and injuring six in 24 hours, Ukrainian officials said.
The Ukrainian Presidential Office said in a statement Thursday morning that cities and villages in seven regions of Ukraine had been shot in the past day. Most civilian deaths occurred in Donetsk, where the fighting was underway. According to the presidential office, seven civilians, including children, were killed there.
In Donetsk, 10 cities and villages were shot and 35 buildings, including schools, vocational colleges and hospitals, were destroyed, officials said.
Donetsk is part of Donbus, an industrial area that speaks almost Russian and is home to the most experienced soldiers in Ukraine. Pro-Russian separatists have fought the Ukrainian army for eight years and ruled most of Donbus. Russian President Vladimir Putin granted the independence of the two self-proclaimed republics shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
Putin claimed victory on Monday in Luhansk, another state of Donbus, after the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops. The last city they ruled there. Luhansk Governor Serhii Haidai denied on Wednesday that the Russians had completely occupied the state.
In Kalkihu, Ukraine's second largest city, boarding schools were attacked, but no one was injured. The Kalkifu region along the Russian border has been bombarded daily, killing two civilians in the last 24 hours.
Ukrainian troops said Thursday that Russian troops also launched artillery and helicopter attacks in the northeastern Smy region.
Despite ongoing fighting, the British Department of Defense said it believes Russian troops are "reconstructing" their troops. A provincial intelligence assessment issued Thursday said the violent shootings along the front lines of Donetsk were likely intended to secure the interests of former Russia.
Further hostilities were reported on Thursday in the Black Sea, where Ukrainian troops said the Ukrainian flag had been planted on a strategic island that Russian troops withdrew last month.
Ukrainian Southern Operations Command said in a statement that Ukrainian military forces are essential to guarantee sea lanes from Odesa's main port, Snake Island, an outpost base off the southwest coast of Ukraine. Said that it passed. Command also said the Ukrainian army had destroyed about 30 Russian military equipment and explained the discovery of "abandoned ammunition and vast ruins."
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Russian troops The Russian Department of Defense, which withdrew from the island on June 30, called it a "goodwill gesture." However, the ministry said Thursday that Russian Aeronautics and Space Force aircraft launched a missile attack on the island when Ukrainian troops tried to raise the flag.
"As a result, some Ukrainian soldiers were destroyed and the rest fled," the ministry said.
Ukraine also stated that Russia had launched two missiles at the oil tanker with the Moldova flag in the Black Sea and set it on fire.
Military command in southern Ukraine said the strike struck the Millennial Spirit. The Millennial Spirit is loaded with over 500 tons of diesel fuel. Ukraine says one missile collided with a ship and the other missile became larger. Social media images showed smoke rising off Odesa on Thursday morning.
The ship had no crew and had been floating in the sea since the start of the war in February. Russia did not immediately admit the attack on the ship. The ship's tracking device has been down since it was abandoned by the crew.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had summoned a Turkish ambassador in Kib Thursday for explaining that a Russian ship had stolen Ukrainian grain.
Russian ship Zhibek Zholy was allowed to leave Turkey's Black Sea coast after temporary detention by Turkish authorities at the request of Ukraine. Ukraine summoned an ambassador and complained about the "unacceptable situation."
Turkey, with the Bosphorus Strait, is the main transit route for shipping from the Black Sea. Ukraine is trying to put pressure on Ankara to stop shipping grain, an important source of income, to Russia.
John Gambrel in Revib, Ukraine and Kara Anna in Kalkihu, Ukraine contributed to this story.
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