KYIV: Ukraine said Thursday that its forces had struck a Russian training ground on the Russia-occupied bank of the Dnipro River in the southern Kherson region, killing or wounding dozens of troops.
Military spokeswoman Natalia Gumeniuk said on television the attack took place Wednesday, striking a range where Russian storm troops were training.
“The work was carried out quite effectively: at least 60 invaders will definitely not return to combat positions,” said Gumeniuk, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Operational Command South.
She later told AFP that three strikes hit a training ground near the village of Podo-Kalynivka, with around 60 Russian troops “killed or seriously wounded.”
The Telegram channel of southern defense forces posted aerial video footage showing explosions and soldiers lying on the ground.
The attack came after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday that Moscow forces had reclaimed a Ukrainian bridgehead around the village of Krynky on the Moscow-occupied bank of the Dnipro River.
The Ukrainian army denied the claim.
Gumeniuk said the training ground hit by the strike Wednesday was being used by soldiers deployed to attack the bridgehead.
One of the largest Russian Telegram blogs writing about the war, Rybar, said Thursday that there were three strikes on a training ground in a national park area of sand dunes called Oleshkivski Pisky, around 15 kilometers (nine miles) from Krynky.
Rybar said fighting was also continuing in Krynky, where small numbers of Ukrainian troops remain, with Ukraine sending artillery and drones from the opposite bank of the river under its control.
Ukraine reportedly carried out a similar strike on a training ground near the Russian-controlled eastern town of Volnovakha in the Donetsk region on Tuesday, with numerous casualties.
The BBC Russian Service reported that troops from Russia’s 36th motorized rifle brigade based in Siberia were lined up on the training ground waiting for a commander to arrive, and at least 60 may have been killed.
Rybar said the attack was carried out using US-made HIMARS rocket systems.
The governor of the region where the brigade was from called the information “spurious” but promised help to the soldiers’ families.
Ukrainian authorities have not commented.
Russian war bloggers criticized the military leadership, saying such gatherings of large numbers of troops on open ground made easy targets.
Ukraine claims strike on Russian army range near Dnipro river
https://arab.news/rdc49
Ukraine claims strike on Russian army range near Dnipro river
- Military spokeswoman Natalia Gumeniuk said on television the attack took place Wednesday, striking a range where Russian storm troops were training
- “The work was carried out quite effectively: at least 60 invaders will definitely not return to combat positions”
EU should consider forming combined military force: defense chief
- Kubilius floated creating a “powerful, standing ‘European military force’ of 100,000 troops” that could eventually replace US forces
- Trump has heightened fears among NATO allies over Washington’s reliability by insisting he wants to take over Greenland
BRUSSELS: EU countries should weigh whether to set up a combined military force that could eventually replace US troops in Europe, the bloc’s defense chief said Sunday.
EU defense commissioner Andrius Kubilius floated creating a “powerful, standing ‘European military force’ of 100,000 troops” as a possible option to better protect the continent.
“How will we replace the 100,000-strong American standing military force, which is the back-bone military force in Europe?” he asked in a speech in Sweden.
The suggestion comes as US President Donald Trump has heightened fears among NATO allies over Washington’s reliability by insisting he wants to take over Greenland.
Worries over Trump’s commitment to Europe have already spurred countries to step up efforts to bolster their militaries in the face of the threat posed by Russia.
Ideas about establishing a central European army have floated around for years but have largely failed to gain traction as nations are wary of relinquishing control over their militaries.
The US has pushed its European allies to increasingly take over responsibility for their own security, and raised the prospect it could shift forces from Europe to focus on China.
“In such times, we should not run away from the most pressing questions on our institutional defense readiness,” said Kubilius, a former Lithuanian prime minister.
In his speech Kubilius also advocated for the creation of a “European Security Council” of key powers — including potentially Britain — that could help the continent take decisions over its own defense quicker.
“The European Security Council could be composed of key permanent members, along with several rotational members,” he said.
“In total around 10-12 members, with the task to discuss the most important issues in defense.”
He said the first focus of such a body should be trying to change the dynamics in the war in Ukraine to ensure that Kyiv does not end up losing.
“We need to have a clear answer — how is the EU going to change that scenario?,” he said.
“This is the reason why we need to have a European Security Council now!“
