# Ukraine pushes Russian forces back, restricts gas flow to Europe
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-05-11
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Ukrainian Forces Gain Ground in Counterattack Near Russian
Meta Description: Read about the latest battlefield gains made by Ukrainian forces in a counterattack, potentially shifting the momentum of the war in Ukraine.
URL: https://financedigest.com/ukraine-pushes-russian-forces-back-restricts-gas-flow-to-europehtml

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By Pavel Polityuk and Jonathan Landay

KYIV/VILHIVKA, Ukraine (Reuters) -Ukrainian forces reported battlefield gains on Wednesday in a counterattack that could signal a shift in the momentum of the war, while Kyiv shut gas flows on a route through Russian-held territory, raising the spectre of an energy crisis in Europe.

Following days of advances north and east of the second largest city Kharkiv, Ukrainian forces were within just several kilometres of the Russian border on Wednesday morning, one Ukrainian military source said on condition on anonymity. Before the advance, Russian forces had been on the outskirts of Kharkiv, 40 km (25 miles) from the border.

The gains appear to be the fastest that [Ukraine has achieved since](https://www.financedigest.com/euro-zone-economy-sentiment-rises-in-dec-first-time-since-start-of-ukraine-war.html "Euro zone economy sentiment rises in Dec, first time since start of Ukraine war") it drove Russian troops away from Kyiv and out of the country’s north at the beginning of April. If sustained, it could let Ukrainian forces threaten [supply lines for Russia’s](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-kazakh-mcdonalds-shut-outlets-temporarily-after-halting-supplies-from-russia-sources.html "Exclusive-Kazakh McDonald’s shut outlets temporarily after halting supplies from Russia – sources") main attack force, and even put rear logistics targets within Russia itself within striking range of Ukrainian artillery.

In Vilhivka, a village east of Kharkiv held by Ukrainian forces, the thump of near constant artillery and swoosh of multiple rocket launchers could be heard from fighting at the front, now pushed substantially further east, where Ukraine has been trying to capture villages on the [banks of the Donets river and threaten Russian](https://www.financedigest.com/new-u-s-sanctions-imposed-for-russian-bank-oligarchs-crypto-miner-bitriver.html "New U.S. sanctions imposed for Russian bank, oligarchs, crypto miner BitRiver") supply lines on the far side.

Further east, Ukrainian forces seemed to be in control of the village of Rubizhne, on the banks of the Donets.

It is burned out, just like all Russian tanks,” a Ukrainian soldier told Reuters [near](https://www.financedigest.com/russian-rouble-nears-4-week-high-versus-dollar.html "Russian rouble nears 4-week high versus dollar") Rubizhne next to the ruins of one Russian tank. “The weapons are helping a lot, the anti-tank ones.”

KHARKIV ADVANCE

Kyiv has so far confirmed few details about its advance through the Kharkiv region, [maintaining secrecy about the positions](https://www.financedigest.com/how-a-british-brand-catered-to-hnwis-can-maintain-its-position-within-the-global-luxury-sphere-and-even-grow-in-these-current-circumstances.html "How a British brand catered to HNWIs can maintain its position within the global luxury sphere, and even grow, in these current circumstances") of its own forces near the frontline while speaking in general terms about overall gains.

We are having successes in the Kharkiv direction, where we are steadily pushing back the enemy and liberating population centres,” Brigadier General Oleksiy Hromov, Deputy Chief of the Main [Operations Directorate of Ukraine’s](https://www.financedigest.com/russia-promises-to-scale-down-operations-in-northern-ukraine.html "Russia promises to scale down operations in northern Ukraine") General Staff told a briefing, providing no specifics.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said successes were putting Ukraine’s second [largest city – under constant bombardment since the war’s early](https://www.financedigest.com/first-quarter-dash-for-cash-largest-since-early-2020-bofa.html "First quarter ‘dash for cash’ largest since early 2020 -BofA") days – beyond the range of Russian artillery. But he cautioned Ukrainians against raising their expectations too high yet.

We should not create an atmosphere of excessive moral pressure, where victories are [expected weekly](https://www.financedigest.com/dollar-set-for-weekly-loss-amid-expectations-fed-will-slow-hikes.html "Dollar set for weekly loss amid expectations Fed will slow hikes") and even daily,” he said in an overnight video address.

In Vilhivka, the [advance had made it possible for residents to venture back](https://www.financedigest.com/dollar-advances-as-strong-u-s-data-backs-higher-rates-backdrop.html "Dollar advances as strong U.S. data backs higher rates backdrop") to comb through the wreckage of their homes. Although the village itself had been recaptured by Ukrainian forces weeks ago, the frontline was only now far enough [away to make it safe to return](https://www.financedigest.com/heathrow-airport-says-return-to-pre-pandemic-demand-years-away.html "Heathrow Airport says return to pre-pandemic demand years away").

The bloated body of a [Russian soldier](https://www.financedigest.com/some-wounded-russian-soldiers-find-compensation-elusive-despite-putins-pledge-sources.html "Some wounded Russian soldiers find compensation elusive, despite Putin’s pledge – sources") still lay mouldering outside the bombed out school where his unit had made its headquarters before being driven out.

GAS SUPPLIES

Wednesday’s separate move by Ukraine to [cut off Russian gas supplies](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-gains-as-russian-supply-cuts-temper-concerns-over-rate-hikes-high-stocks.html "Oil gains as Russian supply cuts temper concerns over rate hikes, high stocks") through territory held by Russian-backed separatists marked the first time the conflict has directly disrupted shipments to Europe.

Shipments from Russia’s [export monopoly Gazprom to Europe](https://www.financedigest.com/u-s-oil-exports-to-europe-hit-record-in-march-on-steep-discounts.html "U.S. oil exports to Europe hit record in March on steep discounts") via Ukraine fell by a quarter after Kyiv said it was forced to halt all flows from the Sokhranovka transit point in southern Russia. [Ukraine accused Russian-backed separatists of siphoning supplies](https://www.financedigest.com/south-korea-has-not-supplied-lethal-weapons-to-ukraine-president-says.html "South Korea has not supplied lethal weapons to Ukraine, president says"). \[L2N2X30NR\]

Should the [supply cut-back persist](https://www.financedigest.com/britains-car-output-drops-6-as-supply-woes-persist.html "Britain’s car output drops 6% as supply woes persist"), it would be the most direct impact so far on European energy markets of the war that the Kremlin calls a “special military operation.

Apart from the east, [Russia has seized a swathe of southern Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-action-wanes-at-u-n-to-isolate-russia-almost-six-months-into-ukraine-war.html "Analysis: Action wanes at U.N. to isolate Russia almost six months into Ukraine war"), where Kyiv and its Western allies say they believe Moscow intends to organise a fake referendum on independence or annexation to make its occupation permanent.

The Kremlin said on Wednesday it was up to [residents living](https://www.financedigest.com/reap-rewards-modern-living-residence.html "Reap The Rewards Of Modern Living At The Residence") in the Russian-occupied Kherson region to decide whether they wanted to join Russia, but any such decision must have a clear legal basis. Earlier, TASS news agency quoted an official in the Russian-controlled administration as [saying the region planned to ask President Vladimir Putin](https://www.financedigest.com/putin-says-peace-talks-with-ukraine-are-at-dead-end-goads-the-west.html "Putin says peace talks with Ukraine are at dead end, goads the West") to incorporate it into Russia.

Russian forces have also continued to bombard the Azovstal steelworks in the southern port of Mariupol, last bastion of [Ukrainian defenders who have been under siege since the war](https://www.financedigest.com/after-fleeing-war-ukrainians-struggle-to-settle-around-europe.html "After fleeing war, Ukrainians struggle to settle around Europe") began. Ukraine’s general staff said Moscow was trying to capture the steelworks. The Azov Regiment holed up inside it said Russia was bombing the factory from the air and trying to storm it.

The wives of two of the last remaining Ukrainian fighters holed up in the steelworks met [Pope Francis](https://www.financedigest.com/pope-francis-says-hes-deeply-saddened-over-death-of-queen-elizabeth.html "Pope Francis says he’s deeply saddened over death of Queen Elizabeth") on Wednesday at the end of his audience in St Peter’s Square, and asked him to help persuade Russia to let them be evacuated.

You are our last hope, I hope you can save their lives, please don’t let them die,” Kateryna Prokopenko, 27, could be heard telling the [pope on a video released by the Vatican](https://www.financedigest.com/death-of-former-pope-benedict-overshadows-new-year-at-vatican.html "Death of former Pope Benedict overshadows New Year at Vatican").

(Additional reporting Tom Balmforth and Natalia Zinets in Kyiv and Vitalii Hnidyi in Rubizhne; Writing by Peter Graff; editing by John Stonestreet and Alex Richardson)


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