After Russia’s extensive conquest of Luhansk, Ukraine is preparing for a massive expansion of attacks into the neighboring Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. The authorities urged the civilian population to flee. “Russia has turned the entire Donetsk region into a dangerous spot, including for civilians,” warned Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko. Sloviansk Mayor Vadym Lyakh announced buses and trains to the west of the country.
Since Russia took control of Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region, the focus of fighting has shifted to neighboring Donetsk. The cities of Kramatorsk and Slowjansk are particularly targeted by the Russian army. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that artillery shelled several settlements around the cities of Kramatorsk and Bakhmut. Two rocket attacks were also reported in the Odessa region of southern Ukraine overnight.
Despite their military successes, Russian troops are still fighting for full control of Luhansk, according to sources in Kyiv. To this end, the Russians transferred some of their units, the Ukrainian general staff said. Moscow, on the other hand, has been saying for days that Luhansk is under complete control.
symbolic act
Meanwhile, Ukrainian soldiers raised the Ukrainian flag again on the symbolic island of Snakes in the Black Sea. The spokesman for the military administration of the Odessa region, Serhiy Brachuk, published several photos on the Telegram news service. The island was occupied by the Russians after the start of the war, and the troops withdrew a week ago after Ukrainian attacks.
According to Ukrainian sources, the island’s pier was “severely damaged” by two Russian missiles on Thursday morning. The Russian side said several Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the attack. The information could not initially be independently verified. (apa, dpa)