Kyiv officials reported that the Russian army continued relentless attacks on the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine and also shelled the city of Kherson in the south. The Kremlin views Bakhmut as a key point in its slow advance in eastern Ukraine after more than a year of Russia's invasion of its neighbor.
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar wrote on the messaging app Telegram that fierce fighting took place yesterday, Thursday, across all sectors of the eastern front. She added that Kyiv-aligned forces repelled attacks in most of these areas.
Maliar stated, "Most of the enemy's offensive efforts are concentrated in the Bakhmut sector," adding that Russian commanders have redirected troops there from other regions. She continued, "The enemy is using its most professional units there and resorting to using a large amount of artillery and air units. Daily, the enemy carries out 40 to 50 assaults and 500 shelling operations in Bakhmut."
This week, the head of the Russian private military group Wagner stated that his forces control 80% of Bakhmut, but the Ukrainian army indicated that this figure is exaggerated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and senior officials are pressuring allies to provide more weapons, hoping that such support will enable Ukraine to launch a significant counter-offensive later this year. In a video address late Thursday, Zelensky stated, "We are preparing our soldiers. We are looking forward to the arrival of the weapons promised by our partners. We are bringing victory closer to us as much as possible."
Officials reported that two people were killed by Russian shelling in the city of Kherson in the south of the country.
Away from the battlefield, Ukrainian officials are focusing on massive reconstruction efforts needed for Ukraine, in addition to facing pressure from allies to make progress in combating corruption.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who is conducting talks in Washington, pledged to clarify how every dollar of American aid is spent and affirmed that reconstruction must begin this year.
He also welcomed "unprecedented ongoing strong U.S. support." In remarks made alongside U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Shmyhal noted that Kyiv has identified a priority financing gap of $14 billion that needs to be filled this year.
He mentioned that Ukraine has implemented measures to clarify the extent of the support it has received and has undertaken reforms related to combating corruption last year greater than its efforts in previous years combined.
Ukrainian officials are intensifying their pressure for NATO membership, a step that Russia has made clear it will not accept. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov stated at a conference on security in the Black Sea, "There is no alternative to Ukraine's joining NATO."
