Ukrainian military reports heavy fighting in Donbass
RUSSIAN forces have stepped up their attacks in eastern Ukraine and appear to have made some territorial gains in the Donbass region, according to the Ukrainian military.
The eastern region has been the main focus of Russia’s military efforts since it invaded Ukraine on February 24.
Protecting self-declared pro-Russian republics in Ukraine’s east was the reason given by the Kremlin for sending in troops. Days before the war started, President Vladimir Putin recognized the republics as independent entities, to Kiev’s outrage.
“The enemy continues its attack efforts in the Eastern Operation one with the aim of establishing full control over the Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson regions and maintaining the land corridor to the temporarily occupied Crimea,” the Ukrainian General Staff said in its situation report on Thursday.
According to the report,
Russian attacks in the Donbass were focused on the towns of Sievierodonetsk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Kurakhove, as well as Rubizhne, which is already largely occupied by Russian forces.
“In the area around Sievierodonetsk, the enemy is conducting attacks on Kudryashivka and Sievierodonetsk and is meeting partial success,” the Ukrainian military leadership admitted.
In the hopes of advancing on the small town of Liman, Russian troops have been attempting to set up pontoon bridges across the Siverskyi Donets River. On Wednesday evening, the Ukrainian General Staff said that the pontoons had been destroyed.
Meanwhile, Moscow is reinforcing its troops on the front line around the city of Sloviansk, one of the most important targets of the Russian offensive in the Donbass. According to the report, around 300 additional Russian military vehicles have been deployed in the area ahead of fresh attacks.