The exiled governor of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine says Ukrainian forces have attacked a headquarters of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group.
Serhiy Haidai said a hotel where the group met in Kadiivka, Luhansk, was heavily damaged.
JEE News was unable to independently confirm Wagner’s presence at the hotel.
Fighting also broke out in southern Ukraine over the weekend, with Russia targeting Odessa and Ukraine bombing a target in the occupied city of Melitopol.
According to Western experts, Wagner is a state-sponsored mercenary who serves the interests of the Kremlin.
The private military company founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a former restaurateur and close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been repeatedly accused of war crimes and human rights abuses.
Wagner units have previously been deployed to Crimea, Syria, Libya, Mali and the Central African Republic.
In the Kadiivka strike, Mr Haidai said Russia had suffered “significant losses” and expected “at least 50%” of surviving forces to die due to lack of medical treatment.
Speaking by phone with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Joe Biden said Washington was prioritizing efforts to help boost Ukraine’s air defense system.
The White House said the pair also discussed Mr Zelensky’s desire for a “just peace” with Russia “based on the fundamental principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter”.
The attack on the “Wagner headquarters” in the east comes amid more fighting in southern Ukraine.
On Saturday, Ukraine’s military said it had shot down 10 drones, as well as targeting energy installations in the port city of Odesa – leaving about 1.5 million people without power.
“The situation in the Odesa region is very difficult,” President Zelensky said in his nightly video address. “Unfortunately the hits were significant, so it takes more than just time to restore power. It takes days, not hours.”
According to Ukrainian officials, Russian-made Iranian drones damaged critical infrastructure.
German Chancellor Olaf Schulz is scheduled to host an online meeting of G7 leaders on Monday, to discuss further sanctions on Russia and Iran.
The proposed measures would target Iran for supplying Russia with drones, while the ninth package of Russia sanctions would add around 200 more people to the EU’s sanctions list.
