Ukraine regroups defenses as Russia prepares new Donbas push— live updates | News | DW
- Zelenskyy says Ukrainian forces ‘undeterred’ in stopping Russia offensive
The article was last updated 00:45 UTC/GMT
Ukraine regroups defenses in Donbas
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address that Ukrainian forces are resisting Russia’s continued advances following the capture of Lysychansk.
“There have been no significant changes on the battlefield in the past 24 hours,” Zelenskyy said.
“The Armed Forces of Ukraine respond, push back and destroy the offensive potential of the occupiers day after day. We need to break them. It is a difficult task. It requires time and superhuman efforts. But we have no alternative,” he said.
Earlier, the Ukrainian General Staff said that the focus of fighting had shifted further west into Donetsk province from the neighboring Luhansk province, which is effectively under Russian control after the Ukrainian withdrawal from Lysychansk.
Russian forces are now focusing on pushing toward the towns of Siversk, Feroivka and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, the general staff said.
Serhiy Gaidai, the Ukrainian governor of Luhansk, said Ukrainian forces were now focused on holding a defensive line from their stronghold in Sloviansk to Bakhmut, some 45 kilometers to the south.
Russia has also intensified its shelling of Sloviansk and the neighboring city of Kramatorsk.
Recap of Monday’s events
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that was holding talks with Turkey and the United Nations on securing guarantees for grain exports.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the European Union will set up a reconstruction platform to coordinate the rebuilding of Ukraine after its war with Russia. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the country needs $750 billion (€718 billion) for a three-stage recovery plan in the wake of Russia’s invasion.
Turkey halted a Russian-flagged cargo ship off its Black Sea coast and was investigating a Ukrainian claim that it was carrying stolen grain.
President Vladimir Putin congratulated Russian troops on “liberating” the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk. Yuriy Sak, advisor to the Ukrainian defense minister, told DW that the loss of Lysychansk in the Luhansk region is “temporary.”
Ukraine’s general staff said it expects Russian forces to focus on the city of Slovyansk in the Donetsk region following the capture of Lysychansk.Click here for all updates from Monday.
sdi/wmr (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)