Ukraine | Russia denies Ukraine’s advance, says front ‘under control’

Air raid sirens sound in Zaporizhia. According to the Ukrainian authorities, Russian forces attacked the region 70 times in 24 hours. At least eight people were injured after heavy shelling on residential buildings.

In parallel, the Russian Ministry of Defense came to the fore He refuted rumors that Ukrainian forces were making progress at various points on the front.

Russia confirms that the situation in eastern and southern Ukraine is “under control”.

General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement that the situation in eastern and southern Ukraine is “under control”. Konashenkov denied any ongoing operation in Kharkov and stated that Russian forces had repulsed several Ukrainian attacks in the direction of Donetsk.

In recent weeks, attacks and acts of vandalism have multiplied in Russia and the occupied territories. Just In the first nine days of May, there were 14 explosions caused by drone strikes or sabotage against existing infrastructures within the Russian Federation such as fuel depots and train tracks, says Ukrainian digital publication LIGA.net.

Despite these stated signals, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, confirmed on Thursday that they still need more time to launch a counterattack.

Meanwhile, the foundations of Switzerland’s neutrality began to crumble. The Security Policy Committee of the Swiss Council paved the way for arms exports.

And in South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa promised the United States that he would investigate allegations that his country had supplied weapons to Russia. Those accusations were leveled by the US ambassador in Pretoria, who accused the African country of providing arms to Moscow despite its declared neutrality in the conflict.