Ukraine war: The latest developments you need to know on Thursday

euronews.com:

Russian shelling pounded a densely populated area in Ukraine’s second-largest city Thursday, killing at least two people and injuring at least 21 with a barrage that struck a mosque, a medical facility and a shopping area, according to officials and witnesses at the scene.

Police in the northeast city of Kharkiv said cluster bombs hit Barabashovo Market, a public bazaar, international reporters on the scene said. Local officials said the shelling also struck a bus stop, a gym and a residential building.

The bombardment came after Russia on Wednesday reiterated its plans to seize territories beyond eastern Ukraine, where the Russian military has spent months trying to conquer the industrial region of the Donbas, located south of Kharkiv. 

Ukrainian officials recently also aired their plans to try to recapture Russian-occupied areas near the country’s southern Black Sea coast.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the attacks early Thursday targeted one of the most crowded areas of the city, which had a prewar population of about 1.4 million.

“The Russian army is randomly shelling Kharkiv, peaceful residential areas, civilians are being killed,” Terekhov said. “Be careful!”

Russian forces are likely closing in on Ukraine's second biggest power plant at Vuhlehirska, 50 kilometres north-east of Donetsk, British military intelligence said on Thursday.

"Russia is prioritising the capture of critical national infrastructure, such as power plants," Britain's defence ministry said in a regular bulletin.

The ministry also added that Russia is probably attempting to break through at Vuhlehirska as part of its efforts to regain momentum on the southern pincer of its advance towards the key cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

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