Russia, Ukraine split control of Severodonetsk

Tensions in Severodonetsk

According to Reuters, Luhansk Governor Serhiy Gaidai said on June 5 that Russian and Ukrainian forces were each controlling half of Severodonetsk. Same day, love military newspaper UK assesses Ukraine’s counter-attacks in the past 24 hours in Severodonetsk likely undermined the momentum that Russian forces had previously gained. This is also an assessment of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in the US released on the morning of June 5. According to ISW, Ukraine has successfully slowed down Russia’s siege of Severodonetsk.

Smoke rises after the Ukrainian capital Kyiv was attacked on June 5 Reuters

Russia is mobilizing reserve forces for control of Severodonetsk, a battle that military experts say could determine the direction of the conflict in the coming months. According to Reuters, Moscow claims to have made a lot of progress in the city, and the Russian Defense Ministry says Ukraine is retreating towards the neighboring city of Lysychansk after suffering “serious losses”.

Meanwhile, Mayor Vitali Klitschko of the capital Kyiv said several explosions had occurred in Darnytskyi and Dniprovskyi districts, leaving one person hospitalized. Ukrainian Air Force claims Russia used Tu-95 strategic bombers to attack Kyiv, while other officials say Russia appears to be targeting Ukraine’s rail network. This is the first time Kyiv has been attacked in recent weeks, after Russian forces concluded phase one of the military operation. Russia has not yet commented on these allegations.

Meanwhile, the TASS news agency on June 5 reported that explosions caused by the Ukrainian armed forces killed 5 people, injured 20 and destroyed many residential buildings near the city of Donetsk in the Donbass region. Ukraine has not yet responded to this information.

Putin warns the West

During the war raging in eastern Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin In an interview with Russian TV channel Rossiya-1 broadcast on June 5, he warned the West that Russia would strike new targets if the US started supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles.

Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines in Donetsk province on June 3 Reuters

He Putin also confirmed that the weapon system will not bring about any fundamental changes on the battlefield, but only to compensate for the loss of military equipment. The Russian leader also said that the noise surrounding the supply of weapons to Ukraine was created to prolong the conflict.

These statements were made after the President of the United States Joe Biden on June 1 announced a new weapons package worth $ 700 million for Ukraine, including high mobility artillery missile systems (HIMARS) that can hit targets with precision at a distance of 80 km. Politico reported that Britain is also asking the US for approval so that London can send advanced medium-range missile systems to Ukraine. El Pais newspaper on June 5, citing a number of sources, revealed that Spain will provide Ukraine with anti-aircraft missiles and Leopard tanks.

Earlier, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the President of Ukraine, said on June 4 that the country aims to repel Russian forces as much as possible by relying on missile systems that the United States and Britain have committed to deliver. to turn the situation in his favor before restoring peaceful dialogue with Russia.