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Ukraine’s military claims its latest recapture of a key village in Bakhmut will act as a “springboard” for further offensive actions against Russia’s continuing invasion. Ukraine scored another victory recently when it recently recaptured village Klishchiivka that lies in the southern flank of Bakhmut, as its forces fought off Russian attempts to get back into the area. The war-torn country’s forces had last week also recaptured Andriivka, another village a few kilometres to the south of Klishchiivka, after earlier criticism alleged Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces had slowed. Both settlements have been reduced to ghost towns and destroyed in the months of fighting for Bakhmut that had fallen into Russian hands in May this year. “Now we have gained a springboard for ourselves, which in the future will allow us to continue to develop offensive operations and liberate our land from the invaders,” Illia Yevlash, spokesperson for Ukraine’s troops in the east, said in a national telecast after they retook Klishchiivka. The battle inflicted “powerful damage” on many Russian-led units, he said. These included airborne units, the “Akhmat” battalion of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, Storm-Z military units comprising Russian criminals, the Russian General Staff’s military intelligence and motorised rifle units. Mr Yevlash said the recapture of Klishchiivka will help Ukraine fire deeper and precise strikes on Russian targets in the Donetsk region, several kilometres south of Bakhmut. “In addition, this exposure of the flanks, in particular the southern flank, will allow us to further move more conveniently into the depths of the enemy’s positions and deliver more accurate and deeper strikes using various artillery systems, FPV drones and other available weapons,” the official said. Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday lauded his troops. “Today I would like to particularly commend the soldiers who, step by step, are returning to Ukraine what belongs to it, namely in the area of Bakhmut,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly address. He thanked the successful units – the 80th airborne assault brigade, the 5th assault brigade, the “glorious 95th” and a national police assault brigade – in the address. Mr Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak said, “Ukraine always gets its own back”. Deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar confirmed the recapture on Sunday and posted a video of Ukrainian forces displaying the national flag on ruined buildings even as the fighting could be heard in the background. She said Russian forces were still trying to regain lost positions in the region despite losing out on the territorial fight over the control of the village. “Today we had to fight off enemy’s attacks all day,” she said. Klishchiivka had a pre-war population of around 400 and falls 9km south of Bakhmut. The country’s military analysts said liberation of settlements near Bakhmut will propel Ukraine’s forces to advance from the southern flank in the Bakhmut, and give them control of the heights in the region. The Institute for the Study of War cited geolocated footage shared by Ukrainian officials and said the recapture was of “strategic significance”. “The liberation of Klishchiivka, as well as continued Ukrainian tactical gains northwest of Bakhmut, are tactical gains of strategic significance because they are allowing Ukrainian forces to fix a considerable portion of Russian airborne (VDV) elements in the Bakhmut area,” the US based think-tank said. Meanwhile, explosions were heard in Sevastopol and smoke was seen rising from a prominent landmark just kilometres away from the Crimean city as Ukrainian forces announced they were carrying out a joint intelligence operation in the region illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. Read More New explosions at Sevastopol as Ukraine launches fresh drone strikes on Crimea Ukraine liberates village near Bakhmut amid Russian losses in east and south China's foreign minister Wang Yi heads to Moscow after meeting US national security adviser

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“I can assure you we will do that, and we will undoubtedly need extra police reinforcements,” said Cocciufa

The aunt of a French teenager shot dead by police last week has urged the “violence to stop” and her nephew’s death to trigger “real change” peacefully, in a heartfelt interview with The Independent. Hatifa, who turned 47 on Saturday, the day of her nephew’s funeral, described Nahel Merzouk, 17, as a “loving teddy bear” who had big ambitions, liked to write rap lyrics, and was “dedicated” to his mother. She said the family – who are of Algerian and Moroccan origin – had been overwhelmed by the national and global response to his killing last week by a police officer during a traffic stop in a west Parisian suburb. Thousands of people have taken to the streets across the country, calling for an end to police impunity and discrimination after a video of the incident was shared online. But it has also ignited violence with multiple cities ablaze as looters ransacked dozens of shops and torched thousands of vehicles, according to the interior ministry. On Sunday morning a group of rioters ram-raided the home of a Paris suburb mayor, set the car alight and launched fireworks at his wife and young children. “I ask that the violence stop. I don’t want people to get hurt. The family is very much against the violence,” Hatifa, a mother-of-four herself, told The Independent. “We knew Nahel’s killing would have some impact but not this much. I think there are mass protests because so many mothers, like my sister, have had enough of being scared all the time.” She said the family were “very grateful” for the global support, which had helped as they dealt with “deep grief”. “But I hope that Nahel’s death is going to trigger some kind of change that means this never happens again,” she added. “At the end of the day, a grown-up shot a child.” Nahel was fired at by a police officer during a traffic stop in the west Parisian suburb. The perpetrator of the shooting justified his action by saying the teenager refused to comply and the police said he was “known” to them. But the incident was caught on mobile phone footage and showed Nahel driving away from the officers before one fired at him. His family believe he was likely terrified, and so panicked and drove off. France’s human rights ombudsman has opened an inquiry into the killing and the officer involved has been charged with homicide. Outraged at the murder, and the apparent efforts by the police to paint Nahel as a troubled teenager wanted by the law, has seen thousands take to the streets across the country. But that has spiralled into violence in many areas. Emmanuel Macron, facing the most severe challenge yet to his presidency, deployed 45,000 officers, including elite anti-terrorism units, in a bid to end the unrest. Police unions, meanwhile, have declared they are “at war” with “savage hordes of vermin”. More than 3,000 people have now been arrested across the country, with curfews imposed and public transport curtailed as open street battles raged between protesters and police, and looting became rampant. Hatifa said that the anger in the disenfranchised banlieues – or city suburbs – had been simmering for a while because of the endemic problem of discrimination in the police force. The youths, including Nahel, are regularly stopped by police, an action that scares them and heightens tensions, she added. “I don’t have all the answers to fix this. Racism and discrimination within the police has to stop. I know policemen are reaching their wit’s end and are taking their frustration out on young people. “But it has to stop, young people don’t like police, the police should be defending us not killing us,” she added. Hatifa’s words echo those of Nahel’s grandmother who also called for calm in an interview with French TV channel BFMTV on Sunday. “Don’t break windows, don’t smash up schools, don’t smash up buses. Stop it, they’re mums on buses, they’re mums walking outside”, the grandmother begged. “Nahel is dead. My daughter had just one child, she’s lost, it’s over, my daughter has no life left. And they made me lose my daughter and my grandson.” Hatifa said the whole family was concerned about the mental health of Nahel’s mother, Mounia, who has been thrust into the international limelight. “My sister is focused entirely on the loss of her son, her only son. I am scared that she might make a mistake in her loneliness and solitude when this quietens down,” she added. The officer who fired at Nahel has been taken into pre-trial custody, which French criminal law professors told The Independent was unprecedented. But many, including the family, fear that he may still be released. Nahel is the 16th driver to be shot at a traffic stop since the start of 2022, experts have told The Independent. The difference this time is that it was caught on camera. Hatifa said they were concerned by the impunity in the police force and hoped the officer, who has been detained on charges of homicide, is convicted and jailed. “It would be a disaster if, after all that has happened, nothing changes and for this person to walk free. Young people in my neighbourhood go to prison for much less,” she said with a shake in her voice. “We didn’t ask for a policeman to wake up one morning and put a bullet through my nephew’s heart. “I can’t breathe at night – I have never felt such pain. Nahel never hurt anyone.” Read More Paris protesters ram burning car into mayor’s home and leave family injured in ‘assassination attempt’ Paris shooting: Where are the riots in France and why are they happening? Travellers to France advised not to cancel trips but to avoid cities at night AP News Digest 3 am Paris protests ease as killed teen’s family call for peace – France riots live Where are the French riots and why are they happening?

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