Russia claims of gaining full control of Ukraine’s second-biggest power station

Russia claimed that it had seized control of Ukraine's second-largest power facility in the eastern Donetsk region during the battle, according to reports. Further, an Ukrainian presidential adviser said Russian forces have taken over Ukraine's second-largest power plant and are conducting a "major redeployment" of troops to three southern districts, amid predictions of a Ukrainian counter-offensive.

On July 27, Russian-backed forces announced the complete control of the Soviet-era coal-fired Vuhlehirska power plant, marking Moscow's first big victory in more than three weeks, The Guardian reported. The acquisition of the plant in the eastern Donetsk region was verified by Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, although he said it was simply a "small tactical benefit" for Russia.

He said that the Russian redeployment to the south appeared to be a shift from offensive to strategic defence, with troops dispatched to Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. Ukraine has made it clear that it plans to retake Kherson, a southern city that fell to Russia in the early days of the war. 

In a tweet, Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's national security and defence council stated that Russia was concentrating "the largest amount of forces" in the direction of Kherson without providing further information.

Ukrainian assault to free Kherson "has already begun"

Following the July 27 attack on the Antonivskiy Bridge, a crucial Russian supply route into the Russian-occupied southern city of Kherson, Arestovych added that the Ukrainian assault to free Kherson "has already begun".

Earlier, Russian officials declared that in order to transport their forces across the river, they would instead use ferries and pontoon bridges. Despite President Zelenskyy's administration's assertions that grain exports will soon resume, Russia has stationed troops in the southern region.

Ukraine asserted that it had attacked a crucial bridge in southern region that was under Russian control. In response to allegations of a significant Russian redeployment in the area, Ukraine has declared its intention to retake Kherson. As President Zelenskyy's forces stormed a bridge in Kherson's Dnipro River, it was alleged that Russian forces used rocket launchers to strike Mykolaiv city.

(With agency inputs)

Image: AP