Russian troops are advancing in Ukraine, but the dreaded big offensive may still be ahead. On Thursday night, there were reports of Russian bombings of several Ukrainian cities. The Russians have been attacking across the front in the Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv regions since Tuesday, Ukrainian Security Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said in a radio interview. However, these are likely just “test attacks”.
However, according to Ukrainian sources, most of Luhansk is already under Russian control. According to the leader of the Russian republic of Chechnya, the steel mill Azovstal in the port city of Mariupol will also fall to the Russians on Thursday.
After lengthy calls for more heavy weapons, the Ukrainian president now sees more understanding from partner countries. They now understand what weapons Ukraine needs, if possible now, said Volodymyr Zelenskyj in his video message every Thursday night. Germany, too, had long been accused of hesitation.
Last ultimatum for the people in Mariupol?
According to Russian information, about 2,500 Ukrainian fighters and foreign mercenaries are still at the Azovstal steelworks. According to Ukrainian reports, around 1,000 civilians would have sought protection there. “Today, before or after lunch, Azovstal will be completely under the control of the Russian armed forces,” Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, whose units are fighting in Ukraine, said late on Thursday. Ukrainian fighter jets remaining at the steelworks still have the opportunity to surrender in the morning. If they do, he is sure the Russian leadership will make “the right decision”.
On Wednesday night, during talks with Russia, two representatives of the Ukrainian delegation declared their willingness to come to Mariupol to negotiate the withdrawal of militants and civilians from the steelworks. The commander of the remaining Marines had previously requested that his fighters be evacuated to a third country. According to Ukrainian sources, a rescue of civilians failed again on Wednesday.
Luhansk largely under Russian control
After the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the small town of Krimenna, Russian units now control 80% of the Luhansk region, the region’s governor Serhiy Hajday announced on Telegram late on Wednesday. The cities of Rubishne and Popasna in Luhansk are now “partly” under Russian control. There was intense fighting over this for weeks. The bombing has increased here as well. At the start of the Russian war of aggression about eight weeks ago, separatists from the “People’s Republic” of Luhansk still had around 30% of the region under their control.