Russia-Ukraine war: Moscow sends more troops to eastern Ukraine; bombards Donbas region

As the Russia-Ukraine war continues to escalate for the so-called ‘decisive’ battle for Donbas, Moscow has poured more troops into Ukraine on Tuesday in Kyiv’s eastern industrial heartland of coal mines and factories. If Russian forces win in the battle for the separatist region, which is already occupied by pro-Russian rebels, Moscow would be able to divide Ukraine into two parts providing Russian President Vladimir Putin with a much-needed victory. It is to note here that in over seven weeks of the Moscow-Kyiv war, Russia failed to capture the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. 

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had declared that the battle in Donbas, which includes Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts, had begun. The Associated Press stated that the eastern Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Kramatorsk came under deadly attack. Additionally, Russia also said it struck areas around Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro west of the Donbas with missiles. Multiple explosions were also heard early on Wednesday in the southern city of Mykolaiv. 

Among other impacts of Russian shelling on Ukraine, a hospital in Bashtanka was bombarded. In Mariupol, where Zelenskyy has said that the situation is “as severe as possible”, the Russian military dropped heavy bombs to flatten what was left of the besieged city. 

Russia’s Defence Ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said that Putin’s forces shelled a number of military sites, including troop concentrations and missile-warhead storage depots, in or near several cities or villages.

'Please, evacuate now!': Luhansk Guv urges civilians to leave

Meanwhile, in the wake of Russian forces approaching the region for what is believed to be a decisive battle in separatist regions of Ukraine, Governor of Luhansk Oblast Serhiy Haidaii on Tuesday called on civilians to evacuate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday night stated that Russian troops have started a “battle for Donbas” as fighting between both sides continues to escalate. The town of Kreminna has already fallen to Russian forces. 

According to CNN, Haidaii said, “Please, evacuate now! The residents of Kreminna did not make it on time and are now hostages”.

Haidai said that the evacuations would take place even though Russian forces had refused a ceasefire. Luhansk Oblast Governor also noted that the evacuation efforts would be mainly focused on the areas of Rubizhne, Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, Popasna and Hirske. He also said that people had volunteered to help despite constant shelling by Russian troops. 

Haidai, who is also the head of the Luhansk regional military administration, said that the police will escort the elderly and less mobile people to the buses and also to the shelters. He said, “Therefore, when you see the police patrol, do not delay, this is a chance to escape. There are fewer opportunities to evacuate from day to day."

Image: AP