Ukrainian forces reportedly making progress in Zaporizhzhia, Russian missile strike on Donetsk region injures 16, US pledges extra $325 million military aid to Kyiv

It is day 576 of the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian armoured vehicles are operating beyond the final line of Russian defences in the west of the Zaporizhzhia region, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). 

At least 16 people were injured in a Russian missile strike on the city of Kurakhove in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. 

Russia’s Defence Ministry said it had destroyed two drones off the south-eastern coast of annexed Crimea. 

US President Joe Biden announced a fresh package of defence aid for Ukraine worth $325 million after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. 

Novaya-Europe’s news round-up will brief you on the main developments overnight.

Ukrainian forces ‘operating beyond’ last line of Russian defences in Zaporizhzhia 

Ukrainian armoured vehicles are reportedly “operating beyond” the final line of Russian defences in the western part of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in its daily briefing on Thursday evening.

The ISW stopped short of saying that Ukrainian forces had fully broken through the Russian defensive line, though geolocated footage from Thursday indicated that Ukrainian military hardware “advanced south of the Russian anti-tank ditches and dragon’s teeth obstacles that are part of a tri-layered defence” and engaged in limited combat west of the village of Verbove. 

Ukrainian forces “secured their breach of the first two lines of this layer sufficiently to operate vehicles” through it, the ISW reported, calling the developments “important signs of progress in the Ukrainian counteroffensive”.

Russia carries out missile strike on city of Kurakhove in Ukraine’s Donetsk region 

The Russian army has carried out a missile strike on the city of Kurakhove in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, the head of the city administration, Roman Padun, told Ukraine’s national broadcaster Suspilne on Friday.

According to Padun, the missile struck residential buildings and caused a fire, with 16 people reportedly injured. One man was pulled from under the rubble and has received medical assistance. 

Drones downed over Crimea

Russian air defence systems shot down two Ukrainian drones overnight, one off the south-eastern coast of annexed Crimea and one over Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Friday.

Officials in the Krasnodar region said that nobody had been injured and no damage had been reported.

On Wednesday, a diesel fuel storage facility caught fire near Sochi airport, with media speculating that the facility had been attacked by a kamikaze drone. There has still been no official statement on the cause of the fire. 

US to provide Ukraine with new military aid package worth $325 million

Following his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Joe Biden announced a fresh package of military aid for Ukraine on Thursday, a Pentagon statement said. 

Among other equipment, the package includes AIM-9M missiles, additional munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, Avenger air defence systems, 59 light tactical vehicles, and over 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition. Biden also said that the first delivery of US M1 Abrams tanks would arrive in Ukraine next week.

Following their meeting, Zelensky said the US and Ukraine had agreed to begin the joint manufacture of weapons.

“Joint production in the defence industry with the United States is a historic thing. A new industrial base, new jobs for both our nations. In particular, Ukraine will be able to produce air defence systems,” he said.

After wrapping up his visit to the US, Zelensky continued to Canada, where he is due to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.