70th day of hostilities: Russia strikes all over Ukraine

Russian forces on May 4 carried out a series of airstrikes against many targets stretching from the extreme northeast to the west and south across Ukraine, including the area around Lviv, the western city. near the Polish border and also NATO’s arms delivery gateway to Ukraine.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Igor Konashenkov said the attacks on railway infrastructure were aimed at disrupting Western arms deliveries. Ukraine. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu meanwhile accused the West of “stuffing Ukraine with weapons”.

When the war in the Donbass became more and more intense, Ukraine repeatedly urged the West to increase the supply of weapons to this country. Germany, which was initially hesitant to send weapons to Ukraine, also announced on May 4 that it was considering supplying Kiev with seven Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH 2000) howitzers, which are considered powerful self-propelled artillery models. Top of the world.

Highland Transcarpathia, bordering Hungary, was targeted for the first time by air strikes. Further west, bordering Slovakia, regional military authorities Zakarpattia said a missile attack had targeted the mountainous area here.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that Russian missiles hit four air defense radar stations, six warehouses for ammunition and missiles, and a US-made anti-aircraft radar station in the area. Krasny Liman, Kramatorsk in the Donetsk and Kamyshevakh in Zaporizhia province, eastern Ukraine.

Russian aircraft also launched many high-precision missiles at targets in the Donetsk region and Luganskdestroyed three fire control radar stations of the S-300 air defense system, a complex of Tochka-U tactical ballistic missiles, OSA-AKM short-range air defense missiles and three BM multiple launch rocket launchers. -21 Grads.

According to the British Ministry of Defense, in addition to the Donbass area, Russian troops seem to be trying to advance northeast Ukraine to seek to isolate Ukrainian forces in the east. However, British officials say Moscow’s efforts are progressing slowly, as Ukraine uses fighter jets and long-range weapons to target Russian targets.

In the port city of Mariupol, bronze southern Ukrainewhere Russian forces control most, the group of soldiers of Azov Battalion entrenched in the Azovstal factory was besieged but refused to surrender.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on May 4 also denied Ukraine’s accusations that Russian forces launched a “major attack” on the Azovstal factory. “The Supreme Commander-in-Chief has ordered the cessation of the attack,” Peskov said, referring to President Vladimir Putin. “There was no attack on the factory.”

More than 100 civilians have been evacuated from the Azovstal plant thanks to a concerted effort by the United Nations and the International Red Cross.

The Russian military confirmed that it was bombing and shelling the Azovstal factory but did not use infantry forces. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boichenko said that the connection with the Azov Battalion was broken inside the factory.

Ukrainian military intelligence accuses Russia of planning to organize parade at Mariupol on the occasion of Victory Day 9/5. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boichenko also confirmed some cleanup is taking place in the city, apparently in preparation for some sort of event. Russia has not commented on this information.

Meanwhile, Europe is looking to increase sanctions pressure on Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on May 4 called on the European Union (EU) to impose ban on import of Russian oil.

The EU is said to have completed a draft plan for a sanctions package aimed at Russian crude oil, but some countries in the bloc are seeking to opt out of the embargo. Under the proposal, the EU would ban imports of Russian oil for a period of 6-8 months, while Hungary and Slovakia, two countries that depend heavily on Russian oil, would be allowed a few more months.

Ambassadors from the 27 EU member states will meet for a preliminary review of a plan to ban Russian oil, but Hungary said on May 4. do not support proposed by the EU because this option will destroy national energy security. The sanctions package needs to be approved by all member states, including Hungary, before taking effect.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has so far recorded more than 5.6 million Ukrainians have left the country after February 24, when Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on May 4 reported a total of 6,635 civilian casualties in Ukraine, of which 3,238 died and 3,397 were injured. The agency warned the actual number could be much higher.