KYIV: Ukraine's top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi warned on Saturday of a possible new Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region, a part of northeastern Ukraine which has seen heavy fighting since Russia attacked in 2022. Moscow has been slowly grinding its way through Ukrainian lines along several parts of the frontline this summer, throwing forth continuous waves of infantry as it seeks to press home its advantage in men and munitions.
Russian forces have already pushed into northern Ukraine's Sumy region over the past months, carving out a small foothold there. "I dedicated two days to working with units in Kharkiv region," Syrskyi wrote in a post on the Telegram app. He said he spent the time talking to commanders, studying the situation in the area and the needs of troops there. "The Russians are looking to press with numbers, but we have to be ready, use appropriate tactical and technological solutions not to allow the (Russians) to move forward," Syrskyi said.
Ukraine's special forces struck Russia's Borisoglebsk military airfield in the Voronezh region on Saturday, hitting a glide bomb store and a trainer aircraft, the Ukrainian military said in a statement on social media. The military said that other aircraft were also likely hit, without giving details. "This airfield is the home base of enemy Su-34, Su-35S and Su-30SM aircraft," the statement said. The governor of Voronezh, Alexander Gusev, wrote on Telegram that more than 25 drones were destroyed over the region overnight. He said a power line was temporarily damaged, but made no mention of a military airfield.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said Ukraine would need Patriot missiles for its defences, after speaking with President Volodymyr Zelensky, and voiced frustration over Russian President Vladimir Putin's failure to end the fighting. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he had a good call with Zelensky, repeating that he was "very unhappy" about his call with Putin a day earlier, given what he called the Russian leader's refusal to work on a ceasefire.
Asked whether the United States would agree to supply more Patriot missiles to Ukraine, as requested by Zelensky, Trump said: "They're going to need them for defence... They're going to need something because they're being hit pretty hard." Trump touted the efficacy of the Patriot missiles, calling the weapon "pretty amazing." Asked about the prospects for a ceasefire, Trump said, "It’s a very tough situation... I was very unhappy with my call with President Putin. He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people - it’s no good." — Reuters
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