Russians resume Donbas advance
Zelensky says troops ‘destroy everything’
Russian troops are advancing in eastern Ukraine, pounding key cities and aiming “to destroy everything there”, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, as Moscow signalled it was digging in for a long war against its neighbour.
As the war entered its fourth month yesterday, Russian forces were relentlessly bombarding the industrial city of Severodonetsk while attempting its encirclement, a key goal of recent fighting in the Donbas region.
Mr Zelensky mourned the thousands of Ukrainian men and women who have perished since the start of the Russian invasion while renewing calls for heavy weapons from foreign partners, saying arms for Kyiv were “the best investment in stability in the world”.
Sergiy Gaidai, governor of the eastern region of Lugansk, said Severodonetsk was being hammered by air strikes, rockets, artillery and mortars in a bid to solidify control over the province and move further into Ukraine.
“The situation is very difficult and unfortunately it is only getting worse,” Mr Gaidai said, describing what he termed a “full-scale offensive in all directions” in a video on Telegram.
“The Russian army has decided to completely destroy Severodonetsk. They are simply erasing Severodonetsk from the face of the earth.”
Thousands of troops were sent to capture Lugansk region, Mr Gaidai said, adding that the bombardment of Severodonetsk was so intense it was too late for its 15,000 civilians to leave.
In Moscow, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu made it clear Russia was settling in for a long war.
“We will continue the special military operation until all the objectives have been achieved,” he said, using Moscow’s name for the war.
In his daily address to the nation late on Tuesday, Mr Zelensky called the situation in Donbas “extremely difficult”.
“All the strength of the Russian army which they still have was thrown there for the offensive,” he said. “The occupiers want to destroy everything there.”
Supplying Ukraine with rocketpropelled grenades, tanks, anti-ship missiles and other weapons is “the best investment” in preventing future Russian aggression, Mr Zelensky said.
“The longer this war lasts, the greater will be the price of protecting freedom, not only in Ukraine, but also in the whole free world.”
Western funds and weapons have helped Ukraine hold off its neighbour’s advances in many areas, including the capital Kyiv.
Russia is now focused on expanding its gains in eastern Donbas, home to pro-Russian separatists, as well as the southern coast.
Speaking to regional counterparts from the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, Russia’s defence chief Shoigu blamed his country’s slow advance on a “deliberate” attempt to avoid inflicting civilian casualties.
Mr Zelensky dismissed Moscow’s claims, saying Russia has suffered heavy losses in the war, including nearly 30,000 soldiers. But Kyiv says it needs more help.
The head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said delays in getting arms to the frontline had left Kyiv “catastrophically short of heavy weapons”.
However, he expected a “turning point” by August, he told news outlet Ukrainska Pravda.