Russia intensifies attacks in Donbas, maintains efforts in south
Kyiv, May 24 (EFE).- The Russian army has intensified its offensive in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, where it is trying to gain control of the border regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said Tuesday in its latest report on Facebook.
The guerrillas in both these pro-Russian breakaway states have been supporting these attacks.
“The greatest activity of hostilities is observed in the Donetsk operational district, namely near Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk,” the Ukrainian military said.
Control of this area would give the Russians access to the administrative border of the Luhansk region.
The Russians are also “intensely firing” along the “entire line of contact and in the depths of defense” of Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk, Slobozhansky and Pivdennobuzhsky operational areas, the General Staff noted.
In the direction of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, the Russian troops are focusing their efforts on maintaining their positions.
“In particular, the enemy is carrying out assault operations in order to consolidate the western and northern outskirts of the village of Ternovo,” the report said.
The Ukrainian military also confirmed that the Russians have redeployed the Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) system division in the Brest region of Belarus, at a distance of about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the border with Ukraine.
“The threat of missile and air strikes on the objects of Ukraine from the territory of the republic of Belarus is growing,” the General Staff warned.
Russia “continues to use terror tactics against the Ukrainian civilian population in the occupied territories, and the socio-economic situation in south and east of Ukraine continues to deteriorate,” the report added.
During the last 24 hours, the Ukrainian army repulsed 16 Russian attacks in the direction of Donetsk and Luhansk and also destroyed eight Russian tanks, 22 armored combat vehicles and another vehicle. EFE
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