A house destroyed by a Russian missile strike in Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, March 24, 2023 (Ignacio Marin/Anadolu/AFP)

Friday’s Coverage: From Russia Offensive to Kyiv’s Counter-Offensive?

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1957 GMT:

Russian forces injured two civilians when they fired on a humanitarian aid point in Kherson city in southern Ukraine.

The assault is the second on a “point of invincibility” in two days. On Friday, five people were killed in the assault on Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine.

UPDATE 1210 GMT:

Two civilians have been killed and six wounded in the latest Russian attacks across the Kherson region in southern Ukraine.

Russian forces launched 67 attacks, firing 301 shells from heavy artillery and Grad multiple rocket launchers, in 24 hours.

UPDATE 1148 GMT:

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that Ukraine cannot launch its counter-offensive yet because of a shortage of weapons, heavy equipment, and fighter jets.

Zelensky told the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, “We cannot send them [into a counter-offensive] under such conditions.”

Ukraine’s commander of ground forces Oleksandr Syrskyi indicated on Thursday that Russia’s heavy losses, in its faltering offensive in eastern Ukraine, could enable a counter-offensive.

He referred to successes last summer and autumn after Russian forces weakened themselves with costly assaults: “Very soon, we will take advantage of this opportunity, as we did in the past near Kyiv, Kharkiv, Balakliya and Kupyansk.”

UPDATE 0750 GMT:

UK military intelligence has repeated its analysis — in line with assessments by Ukraine and US specialists — that Russia’s 10-month assault on Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine has “largely stalled”.

The British analysts cited the “extreme attrition of the Russian force” in a battle in which “Ukraine has also suffered heavy casualties”. They noted that the in-fighting between Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group mercenaries, and Russian military and political leaders had contributed to the impending failure.

UK intelligence also reinforced assessments from the past week that Russia has shifted its focus to the town of Avdiivka, about 90 km (56 miles) south of Bakhmut, and to the defense of the Kremina-Svatove sector to the north.

Ukraine War, Day 393: Zelenskiy Visits Bakhmut Frontline as Russian Offensive Slows

The commander-in-chief of the Ukraine military, Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi said on Saturday, “Thanks to the titanic efforts of the Defense Forces, the situation [in Bakhmut] has been stabilized”.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: As Russian missile and attacks killed more Ukrainian civilians on Friday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said there can be no forgiveness for those who inflict the casualties.

Among the 10 victims yesterday were three women and two killed by two Russian S-300 missiles fired on Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.

One of the missiles hit an “invincibility point”, where civilians can use the internet, charge devices and fulfil basic needs. The three slain women, aged 57 to 62, had been displaced from other areas in Donetsk.

Two civilians were killed and nine injured in Russian shelling of four communities — Bilopillia, Vorozhbinska, Richkivska, and Mykolaivka — in the Sumy region in northern Ukraine.

Bilopillia alone suffered 80 strikes by rockets, 20 from artillery, as well as an airstrike.

Presidential Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak posted footage of the aftermath of the attack.

Zelenskiy assured in his nightly address to the nation:

Such strikes as on Kostiantynivka today, as many other of our cities — the enemy must know: Ukraine won’t forgive offenses against our people, won’t forgive these deaths and injuries.

All Russian terrorists will be defeated.