Ukrainian President organizes Ramadan Iftar, honors Muslim military personnel

Ukraine launches 9 attacks on Russian forces. Zelensky vows to retake Crimea

Zelenskiy sits at the Ramadan Iftar table, which was attended by a number of Muslim soldiers. AFP

The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched nine attacks, targeting Russian forces and groups of military equipment affiliated with them, and according to the Ukrainian news agency «Ukrinform», yesterday, the Ukrainian armed forces destroyed a Russian attack plane «Su-25» near «Marinka» in the Donetsk region, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky organized a Ramadan breakfast, and vowed to restore Crimea to Ukrainian control.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a statement yesterday that the Ukrainian army also destroyed seven drones, and missile and artillery units targeted a command center of the Russians and two groups of forces, as well as an ammunition depot.

The Moscow-appointed governor of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, announced the downing of a missile fired from Ukraine in the Black Sea town of Feodosia in the Russian-controlled region.

This coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's announcement that there was no alternative to returning Crimea to Ukrainian control.

"The world should know that respect and order will return to international relations only when the Ukrainian flag returns to Crimea, when there is freedom," Zelensky said in a video message published by his office.

Zelensky organized a Ramadan Iftar banquet, which included Ukrainian Muslim leaders and ambassadors of Islamic countries, on the evening of the day before yesterday, and criticized in his statements Russia's treatment of Muslim Tatars in Crimea, and said: «Russia's attempt to enslave Ukraine began exactly with the occupation of Crimea, with the suppression of the freedom of Crimea, Ukraine, Crimean Tatars and Crimean Muslims».

Zelensky added before handing out awards to a number of Ukrainian Muslim military personnel: "There is no alternative for Ukraine or for the world but to end the occupation of Crimea. We will return to Crimea."

Zelensky also announced at a mosque on the outskirts of central Kiev that Ukraine had begun a new tradition of hosting a formal iftar.

"Ukraine is grateful to the Muslims of our country, and to all Muslims in the world who, like us, yearn for peace and protection from evil."

For its part, the British Ministry of Defense, in its regular update on the war in Ukraine, said that Russia's attempt to overwhelm Ukraine's energy infrastructure has likely failed, and that Ukraine's energy situation will only improve as temperatures rise.

Over the past months, Russian missile attacks have deliberately targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure, often leaving residents without electricity and heating for long periods, during subzero temperatures.

The British Ministry of Defence, citing intelligence, said small-scale attacks were still ongoing, but were highly likely to have a small impact on Ukraine's energy system.

Buying alternatives and repairing infrastructure is a major logistical challenge for Ukrainian utility companies, she added. By the beginning of spring, the situation will calm down significantly.