New Delhi:
Russian forces are aiming to capture another nuclear plant in Ukraine after the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant was seized last week, a top official in Kyiv said on Sunday.
According to Aleksey Arestovich, adviser to the head of the Office of the Ukrainian President, the Russian forces are trying to “advance north of Nikolaev and are trying to turn around in the direction of the south Ukrainian nuclear power plant in order to attempt to capture it, like the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant”, UNIAN reported.
At the same time, Arestovich noted that the Zaporizhzhya plant is operating normally, and “there are few enemies there”.
He also opined that “it will not be easy for the enemy to pass north of Nikolaev… but the efforts of the invaders are directed there”.
Since Russia’s invasion began on February 24, Moscow has lost more than 11,000 personnel, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry mentioned in a statement.
In addition to the personnel, Russia has also lost 285 tanks, 985 armoured combat vehicles, 109 artillery systems, 50 MLRS, 21 air defence systems, 44 aircraft, 48 helicopters, 447 vehicles, two light speedboats, 60 tanks with fuel and lubricants, four drones operationally – tactical level, the Ministry said.
“The data is being specified. The calculation is complicated by the high intensity of hostilities,” it added.
“The enemy, despite significant losses, is throwing hundreds of supporters of the ‘Russian world’ into battle.”
“In particular, in the Luhansk region, the frontline is littered with corpses and lined equipment of the invaders.” IANS