Russian commander says situation ‘tense’ for his forces in Ukraine: Key updates

Russia-Ukraine War: Sergei Surovikin blamed Ukraine of "deliberately striking infrastructure and residential buildings in Kherson."

The new commander of Russian forces in Ukraine made a rare admission of pressures his forces face from Ukrainian offensives, a report said. "The situation in the area of the 'Special Military Operation' can be described as tense," Sergei Surovikin, the Russian air force general who now commands Russia's invasion forces said, Reuters reported.

Russia-Ukraine War: Firefighters help a local woman evacuate from a residential building destroyed by a Russian drone strike in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Reuters)

As Russia aims to retake southern and eastern areas of Ukraine which Moscow claimed as annexed just a few weeks ago, Sergei Surovikin blamed Ukraine of "deliberately striking infrastructure and residential buildings in Kherson."

Here are the key updates on Russia-Ukraine war:

1. Russian forces in Kherson have been driven back by 20-30 km (13-20 miles) in the last few weeks.

2. Vladimir Rogov, a member of the Russian-installed council governing Zaporizhzhia said Ukraine's forces had intensified their overnight shelling of Russian-held Enerhodar, Reuters reported.

3. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said he expected to return "soon" to Ukraine.

4. Sergei Surovikin said Russian forces were under continuous attack in Kupiansk and Lyman in eastern Ukraine and the area between Mykolaiv and Kryvyi Rih in Kherson province.

5. Last week, Russia unleashed the biggest wave of missile strikes against Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion in February following an explosion that damaged Russia's bridge to Crimea.

6. Russia has destroyed almost a third of Ukraine's power stations in the past week, Ukraine's resident Zelensky said.