The Russian Army intends to continue its activity and consolidate its presence in eastern and southern parts of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Army General Staff said in a news release early today. 

It spoke in support of the US Alliance, but said that maintaining some independence was important for Russia.

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, warns that Moscow wants to organize what it called pseudoreferendum in the Kherson region to form a “People’s Republic” like those established in separatist territories.

The Ukrainian staff has assured that Russian forces have not been able to gain territory anywhere. Kharkiv continues to be bombed, while an attempt by the Russians to penetrate the Ukrainian defences near Izium failed. An attempt to advance on Mykolaiv was also unsuccessful, the same source said. 

To the north, some units withdrew. Moscow has said Russian forces will deescalate the attack in Kyiv and focus on Donbas.

In particular, Russia continues to withdraw part of its forces from the Kyiv region in northern Ukraine and these forces are heading towards Belarus, the local governor said today, while the governor of Chernihiv said that Russian forces are withdrawing from his own region, although not all are gone. He said Russian forces had left the village of Hostomel, but remained in the town of Butsa.

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Mitsotakis: It is important to take an active part in the reconstruction of Mariupol 

The situation in Mariupol and the Greek community living in the area was discussed, among other things, at the meeting of Kyriakos Mitsotakis with the Consul General of Greece in Mariupol, Manolis Androulakis, whom he received today at the Maximos Palace. The Prime Minister will meet with the President at 12:00 at the Presidential Palace. 

Mr. Mitsotakis warmly congratulated Mr. Androulakis on his actions in the effort to protect the Greek community of Mariupol, emphasizing the responsibility and empathy of the Greek diplomat. It should be noted that Mr. Androulakis was the last diplomat from a member-state of the European Union to remain in the bombed city, in extremely difficult and dangerous conditions.

The Prime Minister described as very important the fact that Greece managed to keep its diplomatic representation in Mariupol until the last moment while emphasizing that what matters now is “how we will be able to actively participate in the reconstruction of the city once the hostilities end and put an end to this Russian invasion” because of the important presence of the Greek community in the city.

The plan for the Greek contribution to the reconstruction of Mariupol after the end of the war and the strengthening of the Greek community was also discussed. It is noted that the Consulate General of Greece in Odessa is once again operating.

For his part, Mr. Androulakis informed the Prime Minister about the efforts made for the protection of the Greek community, thanked him for his personal interest, and stressed the importance of Mr. Mitsotakis’s phone call to the Ukrainian President, who, as he said, “initiated a process which was ‘the beginning of the end’ for our exit from the city.”

Source: APA MPA

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