Ukraine says it damaged Russian ship, seeks evacuation of wounded fighters from Mariupol

KHARKIV, Ukraine, May 13 (Reuters) – Ukraine said it had damaged a Russian navy logistics ship near Snake Island, a small but strategic outpost in the Black Sea, while relatives of soldiers Ukrainians sheltering in the besieged Mariupol steelworks begged to be saved.

Renewed fighting around Snake Island in recent days may turn into a battle for control of the western Black Sea coast, according to some defense officials, as Russian forces struggle to advance north and west. eastern Ukraine.

“Thanks to the actions of our naval sailors, the support ship Vsevolod Bobrov caught fire, it is one of the newest in the Russian fleet,” said Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesman for the Odessa regional military administration.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the details. The Russian Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Satellite images provided by Maxar, a private US-based company, showed the aftermath of what it said were likely missile attacks on a Russian Serna-class landing craft near the island, near the sea border of Ukraine with Romania.

The footage also showed recent damage to buildings on the island, made famous by its Ukrainian defenders’ foul-mouthed defiance at the start of the invasion. read more

Russia faced more battlefield setbacks as Ukraine expelled its troops from the region around the second-largest city, Kharkiv, the fastest advance since driving Kremlin forces out of kyiv and the northeast more than a month ago. .

Reuters journalists have confirmed that Ukraine is now in control of territory stretching to the banks of the Siverskiy Donets River, some 40 km (25 miles) east of Kharkiv.

Images released by the Ukrainian Airborne Forces Command appeared to show several burned military vehicles and segments of a bridge apparently destroyed and partially submerged in the river.

Regional authorities reported ongoing missile strikes around Poltava and shelling in Dergach, near Kharkiv, which killed two people.

In the capital kyiv, wives and relatives of Ukrainian fighters sheltering at the Azovstal steel plant in the southern port of Mariupol marched and chanted for their rescue. Russian forces have been shelling the steel mill, the last bastion of Ukrainian defenders in a city almost completely controlled by Russia after a siege of more than two months.

“I want all the defenders who are there to return home so they can live a normal life with their children and relatives,” said Maria Zimareva, whose brother is inside the steel mill. “They have earned it. Why can others walk in the streets with their loved ones and they can’t? Why is no one helping them?

kyiv said it was working on the rescue of the military, many seriously injured.

“We have started a new round of negotiations around a roadmap for an (evacuation) operation. And we will start with those who are seriously injured,” Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told 1+1 television.

NATO EXPANSION

As fighting continued across the country, broader diplomatic moves increased pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Finland’s plan to apply for NATO membership, announced Thursday, and the expectation that Sweden will follow it, would spark the expansion of the Western military alliance that Putin sought to prevent.

Abandoning the neutrality they maintained during the Cold War would be one of the biggest changes in European security in decades.

Moscow called Finland’s announcement hostile and threatened retaliation, including unspecified “military-technical” measures.

“Helsinki must be aware of the responsibility and consequences of such a move,” the Foreign Ministry said.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the Finns would be “warmly welcome” and promised a “smooth and speedy” accession process. read more

The White House backed such a move.

“We would support a NATO request from Finland and/or Sweden if they did,” press secretary Jen Psaki said.

Finland’s 1,300 km (800 mile) border will more than double the length of the border between the US-led alliance and Russia, putting NATO guards within a few hours’ drive of the northern outskirts of St. Petersburg. .

Putin cited the potential expansion of NATO as one of the main reasons he launched what he called a “special military operation” in Ukraine in February.

Thursday also saw an intensification of disputes over Russia’s supply of energy to Europe, which remains Moscow’s biggest source of funds and Europe’s biggest source of heat and power.

Moscow said it would stop gas flows to Germany through the main oil pipeline over Poland, while kyiv said it would not reopen a pipeline route it closed this week unless it regains control of areas from pro-Russian fighters. Gas prices in Europe skyrocketed. read more

Reuters bureau reports; Written by Lincoln Feast and Stephen Coates; Edited by Simon Cameron-Moore

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