Ukraine: Fierce fighting in Donbass; Mr. Zelensky said there is going to be good news about weapons

Ukrainians leave the city of Lyman during a siege at the end of April 2022 – Photo: REUTERS

“Russian forces use artillery to conduct offensive operations in the area of ​​​​the city of Sievierodonetsk,” the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine wrote in a statement on Facebook on May 29.

The Kiev side denied the Russian side’s information that Sievierodonetsk – in the eastern Ukraine’s Lugansk province – was besieged, saying that Ukrainian forces were repelling Russian forces in the suburbs. “The fight continues,” the agency stressed.

In addition, Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Hanna Malyar said fighting in Lyman continues. On May 28, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed it had control of this strategic city in eastern Ukraine.

Governor Serhiy Gaidai of Lugansk described the situation in Sievierodonetsk as escalating very rapidly. Sievierodonetsk is located about 60km from Lyman and is the largest city in the Donbass region still under the control of the Ukrainian government. Ukrainian officials say there are about 15,000 civilians here.

Currently, Russian forces are shifting their focus to the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine after encountering fierce Ukrainian resistance in the capital Kiev and other areas.

“The situation is very difficult, especially in the regions of the Donbass and Kharkov regions,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.

Zelensky said there will be more good news about weapons next week. “We work every day to strengthen our defense. This is mainly about the supply of weapons. Every day, we are getting closer to the point where our military will surpass Russia in terms of technology and firepower.

Of course, this very much depends on the partners, their willingness to provide Ukraine with everything necessary to defend freedom. And I expect good news about this next week,” the Ukrainian president said.

Meanwhile, Zelensky’s adviser Mykhailo Podolyak reiterated calls for the West to supply Kiev with long-range weapons. “It’s hard to fight when attacked from 70km away, but we have nothing against it,” Podolyak wrote on Twitter.