78th day of hostilities: Russia gains momentum in eastern Ukraine
Ukraine’s military admits that Russian forces have made progress in the east by stepping up operations in the region, although the extent is difficult to determine.
The 78th day of fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues in the east, as Russian forces step up their advance, while at the Azovstal steel plant in the city of Mariupol, tough negotiations are underway to prepare wounded soldiers.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said today that Russian forces have crossed the River Siverskiy Donets in the direction of Lyman, in the province. Donetsk. Lyman is a town northeast of the city of Sloviansk, one of the strategic targets of Russian forces. Several bridges over the river had collapsed in the previous fighting.
“In the direction of Sloviansk, Russia is regrouping forces to continue the offensive on Sloviansk and the city of Barvinkove, Kharkov province. They have moved the battalion-level combat group to reinforce the units,” the Ukrainian army said. let me know.
CNN previously reported that Russia has added battalion-level combat groups to attack this area.
A school in the village of Bilohorivka, Lugansk province, eastern Ukraine, damaged by an air strike on May 11. Video: AFP.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, further to the east, Russian forces “are advancing in the direction of the village of Kudriashivka towards the city of Severodonetsk in the province of Lugansk and was partially successful. Their main task is to control the city of Rubizhne, Lugansk Oblast, Lyman City, Donetsk Oblast, and Severodonetsk.”
Kudriashivka is a small settlement near Severodonetsk and Rubizhne, where Ukrainian forces are believed to have held back the Russian advance for weeks.
Russian forces have repeatedly tried to cross the River Siverskiy Donets, but the Ukrainian side has destroyed several pontoon bridges in recent days. The Ukrainian military said another attempt to cross the river was taking place near the city of Kreminna, Lugansk province. If Russian forces cross the river, Ukrainian troops in the Severodonetsk region will be easily cut off.
In KharkivUkraine’s counterattack continues. According to the General Staff, Russian troops are strengthening their units in the border area.
“Russia is regrouping its troops to prevent our army’s advance in the direction of the border. In the areas north of the city of Kharkov, Russian troops shelled our units,” the ministry said. .
To the south, the Ukrainian military believes that Russian forces will continue shelling but with no change in front-line positions. Dnipro city officials said shelling continued throughout the night and one civilian was killed.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said that “very difficult negotiations” were underway to evacuate seriously injured soldiers from the Azovstal steel plant in the city. Mariupol, currently controlled by Russian forces. Kiev yesterday proposed to Moscow to exchange seriously wounded soldiers with captured Russian soldiers.
“We are in talks to evacuate about 38 seriously wounded soldiers. We work step by step. We will first exchange these 38 people and then move on,” Ms. Vereshchuk posted on Telegram, at the same time denying the announcement. media reports that the two sides are negotiating to exchange 500-600 people.
An explosion at the factory according to Azovstal, the city of Mariupol, southern Ukraine on May 11. Image: Reuters.
Ukraine says three people were killed and 12 others injured in a Russian attack on the town of Novgorod-Siversky, Oblast. Chernigiv, north of the country. Chernigiv Governor Vyacheslav Chaus said that “critical infrastructure”, including a school, had been affected.
The offensive comes nearly two months after Russian forces withdrew from northern Ukraine to focus on the east and south.
Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov of the province Belgorod, the Russian border region, accused Ukrainian forces of attacking the village of Solokhi from across the border, leaving one person dead and seven injured. The rest of the people were evacuated to a safe place.
Gladkov described the shelling as “the most serious ever”, adding that an apartment building was destroyed.
Ukraine has not commented on the allegation. With a population of 638, Solokhi is located 20 km north of Kharkov province of Ukraine.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has so far recorded more than 6 million Ukrainians leaving the country after February 24, when Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine. More than 8 million people, or nearly a fifth of Ukraine’s population, had to be evacuated. UNHCR said late last month it expected about 8.3 million refugees to leave Ukraine.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on May 11 reported a total of 7,326 civilian casualties in Ukraine, of which 3,541 died and 3,785 were injured. The agency warned the actual number could be much higher.
The UK Ministry of Defense believes that Russia’s preference for operations in the Donbass makes forces deployed in Kharkov province vulnerable to attack by Ukrainian forces. During the early stages of the conflict, Russia succeeded in encircling the area, but is said to have withdrawn units to reorganize and replenish forces after suffering losses.
Ukraine’s war department. Graphics: Washington Post.
Huyen Le (According to AFP, CNN, Sputnik, Guardian)
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