With Ukrainian forces staging a counteroffensive helped by newly acquired long-range artillery capability, the UK Ministry of Defence said Russian-occupied Kherson was “virtually cut off,” while Ukraine’s counteroffensive in Kherson “is gathering momentum,” and that its “highly likely” forces have managed to establish a bridgehead south of the Ingulets River.

Ukraine has used “new long range artillery to damage at least three of the bridges across the Dnipro (Dnieper) River which Russia relies up to supply the areas under its control,” the ministry said in their latest intelligence briefing.

The intelligence update stated that Russia’s 49th Army is stationed on the western bank of the Dnieper River and “now looks highly vulnerable.”

Kherson city, which is the most significant center controlled by Russia “is now virtually cut off from the other occupied territories,” UK officials said.

UK intelligence noted that the loss of the city would “severely undermine Russia’s attempts to paint the occupation as a success.”

The area in southern Ukraine has effectively been under Russian occupation since the first days of the war against Ukraine.
Kyiv Governor Oleksiy Kuleba said Russian forces had launched missile strikes on Kyiv and Chernihiv, areas in Ukraine that have not been targeted in weeks.

Kuleba said on Telegram that infrastructure was hit in the settlement of Vyshgorod, with it not being immediately clear if there were any casualties.

“Russia, with the help of missiles, is mounting revenge for the widespread popular resistance, which the Ukrainians were able to organize precisely because of their statehood,” Kuleba said on state television.

Cherniv Governor Vyacheslav Chaus, reported multiple missiles being fired from Belarusian territory, targeting the village of Honcharivska.

Over 75,000 Russians killed, wounded since invasion began — US lawmaker
A US lawmaker has told news network CNN that more than 75,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded since the invasion began on February 24.

Democrat Elissa Slotkin spoke to the broadcaster following a classified briefing with officials from the Biden administration.

“We were briefed that over 75,000 Russians have either been killed or wounded, which is huge, you’ve got incredible amounts of investment in their land forces, over 80% of their land forces are bogged down, and they’re tired,” Slotkin said.

A week ago the head of the CIA estimated that about 15,000 Russian troops had lost their lives in Moscow’s war against Ukraine.

The estimate was delivered by the US intelligence agency’s director, William Burns, during a security conference in Aspen, Colorado. Burns added that around 45,000 are thought to have been wounded.

Dynamo Kyiv coach slams Turkish football fans for ‘Putin’ chants
The coach of Ukrainian football side Dynamo Kyiv has condemned the behavior of fans from Turkish club Fenerbahce, during a Champions League qualifier.

Fans from the Turkish club chanted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s name during the encounter in which the Ukrainian side won 2-1.

“The game went well but we didn’t factor in the fans. I didn’t expect such chants — they were deplorable,” Mircea Lucescu told Turkish publication Fanatik after skipping the post match press conference in protest at the behavior of fans.

The Ukrainian team has only been playing friendly games in Europe since the Russian invasion, with the local league currently suspended because of the war.