Shaun
Donald Trump has called on Ukraine to “fight back” with a more offensive stance after Russia mounted one of the biggest aerial assaults since the start of the war. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia’s massive attack with 574 drones and 40 missiles – which also hit a US electronics manufacturer in west Ukraine – was a signal of Vladimir Putin’s “outrageous” intent.
He said the “deliberate strike” on US-owned electronics firm Flex was a “telling” indicator of Russia’s attitude to peace initiatives led by Mr Trump. The aerial barrage on a region of Ukraine that has rarely faced such concentrated strikes was among Russia’s largest this year, coming as Moscow pushes back against key elements of peace proposals.
Mr Trump’s advice for Ukraine came as he launched a fiery tirade against his predecessor, Joe Biden, for not providing Ukraine with more weaponry it needs to “fight back.” He concluded by saying there were “interesting times ahead!”. Ukrainian troops have recaptured most of the village of Tovste in eastern Donetsk Oblast, the country’s Dnipro Group of Forces said on Thursday.
The 5th Separate Heavy Mechanised Brigade drove Russian forces out through a coordinated operation involving infantry, drones and artillery. Tovste lies southwest of Russian-occupied Donetsk and close to the strategic town of Vuhledar. Earlier this week, the military reported clearing Russian positions in several other villages in Donetsk Oblast, including Hruzke, Rubizhne, Novovodiane, Petrivka, Vesele and Zolotyi Kolodiaz.
The advance came as president Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters that Russia would need another four years to fully occupy Donetsk and Luhansk, despite Moscow’s claims to the contrary.
