Russian column advancing on Kiev ‘delayed by fierce resistance and mechanical breakdown’, Defense Ministry says
A Russian armored convoy of military vehicles advancing on Kiev was delayed by “firm Ukrainian resistance”, mechanical breakdowns and traffic jams, the Defense Ministry said.
In an intelligence update released on Thursday, the ministry said the main body of tanks and military hardware – believed to be over 40 miles in length – had made “little discernible progress in more than three days”.
It comes as the Kremlin said 498 Russian soldiers were killed in the invasion – the first official figure provided by Vladimir Putin’s regime and significantly lower than the death toll reported by Ukrainian authorities.
The Ministry of Defense pointed out: “The Russian Ministry of Defense has been forced to admit that 498 Russian soldiers have already been killed and 1,597 injured in Putin’s war.
“The actual number of people killed and injured will almost certainly be significantly higher and will continue to rise.”
They added: “Despite heavy Russian shelling, the cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol remain in Ukrainian hands. Some Russian forces have entered the city of Kherson but the military situation remains unclear.
Speaking on Sky News, Security Minister Damian Hinds also said the Russian military was a “ruthless invading force” which posed an immediate danger to Ukraine, but also to “Europe wider and the world”.
Places where Ukrainian refugees seek refuge
(Images from the Press Association)
“The bravery, the tenacity of Ukraine, my God, we were all surprised and it is so important that we do everything we can to support them in what they are doing and to make sure – and that is where as sanctions, we got the Economic Crime, Transparency and Enforcement Bill on Monday in Parliament.
“That’s why all these things are so important, why we absolutely have to hurt the regime.”
It also emerged on Thursday that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened a war crimes probe into Ukraine after Britain and 37 allies sacked the country over what Boris Johnson called ‘heinous’ attacks during the invasion, which is now in its seventh day. .
For the first time on Wednesday, the UK explicitly charged Mr Putin with war crimes, with Downing Street saying ‘horrendous acts’ were happening almost hourly as population centers were targeted.
To Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Johnson said: “Putin has seriously miscalculated; in his heinous assault on a sovereign nation, he underestimated the extraordinary courage of the Ukrainian people and the unity and determination of the free world to resist their barbarism.
Damage caused by Russian shelling in Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, March 2, 2022
(AFP via Getty Images)
He added: “What we have already seen of Vladimir Putin’s regime in the use of munitions that they have already dropped on innocent civilians, in my opinion, is already fully qualified as a war crime.”
According to the UN refugee agency, one million people have now fled Ukraine, making it the fastest refugee exodus this century. UNHCR’s count is more than 2% of Ukraine’s population on the move in less than a week.