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Zelenskyy: Russia Shifting Defenses 06/25 06:07
Russia is moving a significant part of its air defenses to protect a handful
of prime targets, including Moscow, as Ukraine's long-range drones continue to
hammer sites deep inside the country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
says.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) -- Russia is moving a significant part of its air
defenses to protect a handful of prime targets, including Moscow, as Ukraine's
long-range drones continue to hammer sites deep inside the country, Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says.
Ukraine has in recent months stepped up its aerial campaign against Russian
military installations and energy facilities. Its success has caused fuel
shortages and disrupted army supply lines, stalling Moscow's invasion of its
neighbor after more than four years of fighting and rattling Russian officials.
Zelenskyy said in his daily video address late Wednesday that Russia is
moving more air defenses to the capital as well as to Valdai, a town some 500
kilometers (300 miles) northwest of Moscow where Russian President Vladimir
Putin has a residence, and to protect the Kerch Bridge, which is a vital supply
route connecting the Crimean Peninsula with the Russian mainland.
"In the Moscow region alone, they have amassed hundreds of launchers" for
air defense missiles, Zelenskyy said. "Nearly 90 launchers have been redeployed
to Valdai from other regions of Russia."
Ukrainian drones have recently hit Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia's
second-largest city and Putin's hometown. Ukraine is also trying to cut off
Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia invaded and illegally annexed in
2014.
The changes, Zelenskyy suggested, would leave other parts of Russia
vulnerable to Ukraine's increasingly sophisticated long-range drones, which can
now fly more than 1,500 kilometers (900 miles).
"There are many difficulties (for Russia), all because Putin refuses to end
his war and to hear our proposals for a meeting, genuine negotiations, and a
dignified peace," Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy has accepted an unconditional ceasefire demanded by U.S. President
Donald Trump but Putin has refused, and a year of U.S.-led peace efforts made
no significant headway.
Trump offers praise for Zelenskyy
Ukraine's prospects have brightened after more than four years of a grueling
war of attrition as its domestic development and production of cutting-edge
drones pin down the bigger Russian army.
Trump, who has previously been critical of Zelenskyy, said at the White
House on Wednesday that the Ukrainian leader is "courageous" and "doing pretty
well" in the war.
Zelenskyy said he won pledges of sustained foreign support when he attended
a recent summit of G7 leaders, including Trump, and that promised aid will help
further fuel Ukraine's intensified campaign.
"Our operation, including the one concerning Crimea, has been carefully
planned, and the way it is unfolding clearly demonstrates that if Ukraine
receives exactly what we discussed with our partners at the G7 -- and that
depends on our partners' decisions -- we will quickly create conditions in
which Russia will be forced to choose peace," he said.
"We very much hope for a positive response from our partners," Zelenskyy
added. "They know exactly what we are talking about."
Ukraine keeps a wary eye on its neighbor Belarus
Belarus, whose manufacturing plants have played a key role in supporting
Moscow's war effort, appears to have turned off signal repeaters on its soil
that Kyiv says were used to help guide Russian drone attacks on Ukraine.
Zelenskyy demanded last week that Belarus, which lies on Ukraine's northern
border and also borders Russia, remove the relay equipment that enabled Russian
drones to strike western Ukraine. He threatened to take action against the
relay stations, presumably with a military strike that could bring the
countries into direct conflict.
Ukrainian intelligence has determined that the repeaters are now off,
Zelenskyy said in an audio-clip message sent to journalists.
But he noted: "There are many questions regarding Belarus," whose territory
Moscow used to launch its invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian military officials on Wednesday ordered a mandatory evacuation for
communities and settlements in the Chernihiv region bordering Belarus starting
July 1.
The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said that
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is walking a fine line in the war.
"Lukashenko continues to stall and deflect the Kremlin's intensified
attempts to drag Belarus into the war in Ukraine while maintaining relatively
neutral rhetoric towards Ukraine," the institute said.
Ukrainian Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of the armed forces, said
last week that Ukraine is strengthening defenses on its northern border,
including creating new army drone units there.
Russia targets Ukraine's civilian gas stations
Russia launched one ballistic missile and 90 long-range strike drones at
Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said.
A Russian drone struck a gas station Thursday morning in Ukraine's
northeastern Sumy region, injuring four people, including two employees,
regional administration head Oleh Hryhorov said.
Russian forces have attacked the region's gas stations 13 times in June
alone, he said.
Also, a Russian overnight strike in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia
injured one woman and damaged a gas station, according to regional head Ivan
Fedorov.
Russia's Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 269 Ukrainian drones
from late Wednesday until early Thursday.
Several Russian airports temporarily restricted flights overnight during
drone attacks.
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