Jonathan Landay

KHARKIV (Ukraine) – Ukraine is preparing to stop the flow of Russian gas from Europe via a crucial transit point. It claimed victory over the invading Kremlin troops, and the capture of four villages near Kharkiv.

Even though President Vladimir Putin declared the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2017, Ukraine was still a significant route for Russian-gas to Europe. Western countries are trying to phase out or ban the Russian use, and there have been increasing Western sanctions.

Ukraine’s gas operator blamed Moscow for this move. It said the company will redirect the gas from Sokhranivka transit station, which is situated in an area occupied Russian forces to another within a Ukraine-controlled zone.

Russia abandoned an attack on Kyiv’s capital at the end March and its main force tried to surround Ukrainian troops in eastern Donbas using Izyum, a city in northeast Ukraine, as a base.

Ukrainian troops are largely defending themselves against attacks from three directions. Top U.S. intelligence officials state that war seems to be at a deadlock.

Putin looked to be in preparation for a prolonged conflict and victory by Russia in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas could not end war, Avril Haines, Director, National Intelligence said in Washington Tuesday.

The counterattack in Kharkiv may signal a new phase. Ukraine is now on the offensive and supply lines to Russia are now vulnerable.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, President of Ukraine, stated that the Ukrainian victories were slowly pushing the Russian forces out Kharkiv which was under bombardment ever since the start of the war.

“But, I want to also urge all of our people… to not spread excessive emotions. Zelenskiy stated in video that we should not encourage excessive moral pressure where wins are anticipated weekly or daily.

According to Reuters witnesses, Ukrainian soldiers gathered bodies from Russian soldiers killed during fighting in Vilkhivka and Staryi Saltiv near Kharkiv.

Ukrainian border guards claimed that Russian troops were attacking the Sumy and Chernihiv areas close to Russia’s border.

“Enemy aircraft twice fired non-guided rockets at Sumy border areas. Two mortar shelling incidents occurred in Chernihiv,” the Telegram channel reported.

According to Ukrainian military forces, they had struck nine targets in the south with enemy losses totaling 79 personnel and 12 pieces equipment (including armoured vehicles, howitzers, and armored vehicles).

Russian fire was concentrated in Mykolaiv where many private residences were also damaged. It also destroyed power lines and farms to one area.

Russian forces retook the Azovstal steelworks of Mariupol on Tuesday, in an attempt to capture the last remnant of Ukrainian resistance. The ruined city is where Ukraine claims that tens and thousands have been killed under Russian siege for the past two months.

Reuters couldn’t independently verify reports of fighting.

Although scores of civilians were evacuated recently from the steelworks, Petro Andryushchenko, an aide to Mariupol’s mayor said that around 100 were still inside.

According to United Nations statistics, 6 million Ukrainians have fled Ukraine. This is more than any other refugee crisis since World War Two.

Russia claims that it did not target civilians. It rejects Western accusations of war crimes and Ukrainian allegations.

(Additional reporting Tom Balmforth from Kyiv, Writing by RamiAyyub or Lincoln Feast; Editing and editing by Stephen Coates