Ukraine attacked a barracks in the Russian-occupied city of Melitopol over the weekend, with some Ukrainian sources claiming scores of Russian casualties. According to witnesses, 10 explosions were heard, although some of those may have been from Russian anti-aircraft systems. Ukrainian officials claimed scores of Russian dead and injured while Russia conceded a handful of casualties. The strike on the south-eastern city – reportedly with Himars rockets – was one of several on Russian bases. Explosions were also reported early on Sunday in the Russian occupied Crimea including Sevastopol and Simferopol.
Emergency crews were working to ease power shortages in many parts of Ukraine after Russian attacks. Russian forces used Iranian-made drones to hit two energy plants in Odesa on Saturday, knocking out power to about 1.5 million customers. Zelenskiy said the port city was undergoing frequent power outages and Kyiv was still experiencing “very difficult” conditions with power supplies. “At this time, it has become possible to partially restore supplies in Odesa and other cities and districts in the region,” Zelenskiy said in a Sunday night video address.
Two people were killed and another five wounded after Russian troops shelled the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, according to local authorities. “The enemy again attacked the residential quarters of Kherson,” governor Yaroslav Yanushevich said on Telegram, adding the Russian forces hit a maternity ward, a cafe and apartment buildings on Saturday. “Last night, two people were killed due to Russian shelling,” Yanushevich said, adding that five others had been wounded.
Russia is likely still aiming to extend control over all of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. Russian military planners are likely still aiming to prioritise advancing deeper into Donetsk, the latest British intelligence report reads, adding that Russia’s strategy is currently unlikely to achieve its objectives.
