Russia continues its offensive in eastern Ukraine | For several days Russian attacks were centered on the city of Chevrodonetsk

Russia has intensified its offensive in Ukraine When trying to take more cities in the eastern region known as Donbass, And Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky said for a second time in a few days that the situation there was “very difficult”. On the 88th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, civil servants of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in their daily statement that “the Russian enemy has not stopped conducting offensive operations in the eastern operating zone.” The Kremlin says it is ready to continue talks with UkraineWhen Ukrainian authorities are demanding that their allies send more weapons.

A “very difficult” situation

“As in previous days, the Russian army is trying to attack Sloviansk and Severodonetsk.”Said Zhelensky In his regular video message, Donbass’ situation is “very difficult”, although “the Ukrainian armed forces are preventing the attack”.

“Every day our defenders thwart these Russian offensive plans and become a definite contributor to the key day approach to thwarting them. The long awaited day we all look forward to and the day we fight: Victory DayThe Ukrainian president said.But these recent comments by Zelensky reflect more optimism than reality on the ground.

Russia aims to capture Donbass At the end of March it withdrew its troops from the northern capital, Kyiv. The most experienced and well-equipped Ukrainian military units are in the Donbass, but they are surrounded by Russian troops.This makes it harder to fill, according to analysts.

The Russian military controls, in whole or in part, five provinces in eastern and southern Ukraine.In addition to the Crimean Peninsula annexed in 2014, including two in the Donbass (Lugansk and Donetsk). In Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Russia had attacked from aircraft and artillery command centers, ammunition depots and troops concentrated in Donbass. And in the southern province of Mykolayiv.

Ministry Spokesperson, General Igor KonashenkovSaid The missiles struck three command centers, 13 areas where Ukrainian soldiers and equipment were concentrated and four ammunition depots in Donbass.. In Mikolaiv, Russian rockets destroyed a mobile drone defense system near the town of Hannivka, 100 kilometers northeast of Mikolaiv, Russian news agency Sputnik reported.

Attacks on Severodonetsk are on the rise

For several days the animosities in Donbass focused on the ChevroletonetskIn the province of Luhansk, this “Almost surrounded” by Russian forces, According to its officials. Industrial Sevorodonetsk is one of the few major Donbass cities still under Ukrainian control, as well as its twin city, Lisznansk, which is separated from each other by the Shivarsky Donetsk River.

Governor of Luhansk, Sergey GuidoHe said today, Sunday In the last hour Russian troops attempted to attack Severodonetsk from four directions. Guido told the Telegram news agency that attempts had failed, but that artillery fire on residential areas had continued, destroying the bridge connecting the city with neighboring Lisiansk.

Russia took a big step towards the goal of capturing Donbass last month Capture the southern port city of Mariupol, At the southern tip of the Donetsk, in the Sea of ​​Azov. Two days ago, Russia announced the “total liberation” of Mariupol after the surrender of the last Ukrainian soldiers in the city, which had been rooted for weeks in the underground mines and bunkers of a large metal plant. Since last week, a total of 2,439 refugee militants have surrendered to Russian troops at the Azovstal steel plant.Including prisoners of war now.

Russia is ready to resume talks

Russia has said it is ready to continue talks with Ukraine, Fighting intensified in Mariupol, frozen by kyiv a month and a half after Pucha’s pictures came to light. Head of Negotiations on behalf of Moscow, Vladimir MedinskyAccording to the DOS agency, Russia’s willingness to resume the conversation.

“For our part, we are ready to continue the dialogue. The freeze on the talks is a complete Ukrainian initiative,” Medinsky said. “The ball is on the court” in Kiev. The last round of face-to-face talks between the representatives of the two countries took place on March 29 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Ukraine is asking for more weapons

For your part UkraineHe also hopes that the arrival of Western weapons will help balance forces with Russia and counter-attack. It refused to offer concessions to Moscow this Sunday. “Are you negotiating with a country that holds millions of people hostage? We have a great idea: The world must agree to supply Ukraine with several self-propelled rocket launchers and other heavy weapons to prevent the Black SeaHe wrote on Twitter Michael BodoliacAdviser to the President of Ukraine.

Bodoliyak, who took part in talks with Russia in the first weeks of the conflict, commented on the recommendations of the US press, which is in talks with Moscow over the release of Black Sea ports. Last week, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Andrei Rudenko linked the release of Ukrainian ports to the lifting of sanctions on Russian exports..

Accusing Russia of stealing Ukrainian wheat from areas occupied by its troops, President Zhelensky said the Russian siege had shaken 22 million tons of grain. “We have to clear that path because of the food crisis. We can do it in different ways and one of them is the military. That is why we are asking our partners for the weapons we need for it,” the Ukrainian president said.

Faced a continuation of the Russian offensive that began on February 24th. Sweden and Finland are still trying to move forward with their decision to join NATO (after decades of military mobilization).The only current obstacle is the rejection of Turkey.