Russian forces try to advance to Zaporizhzhia, local officials say

Russian forces are trying to advance towards the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, the city’s Regional Council said on Wednesday, as fighting intensifies in the east of the country.

“The situation on the front line suggests that the enemy is trying to advance towards Zaporizhzhia, but suffers losses and focuses its main efforts on maintaining the occupied borders,” the council said in a statement.

“Russian troops continue to bombard our troop positions and conduct offensive operations in the direction of Pokrovske – Huliaipole,” the council added.

Zaporizhzhia is north of the besieged city of Mariupol and is expected to form part of an evacuation corridor allegedly agreed with Russia for Wednesday.

Women, children and the elderly would be evacuated from the southeastern port city to Manhush, via the Russian city of Berdyansk and then on to Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.

Russian forces occupy the southern part of the region and, according to the council, have established a base in the city of Melitopol, close to residential areas.

fake referendums

The council says Russian forces are planning to hold mock referendums in occupied territory, similar to those held in separatist-controlled Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2014.

Earlier this week, Russian-backed separatist leader Denis Pushilin said the breakaway People’s Republic of Donetsk would support a Russian-occupied district in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Pushilin claimed that Zaporizhzhia had made “an appeal” to secede from Ukraine and join the breakaway republic.

Ukrainian officials said Russian forces appeared to be preparing for a similar mock referendum in the southern Kherson region.