Ukraine's army bases in Zaporizhzhia to be handed to Russian troops: Deputy regional head

Ukraine is surrendering its military bases and other equipment facilities in Zaporozhye (also known as Zaporizhzhia) region to the Russian forces, Alexey Selivanov, deputy head of regional Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs told state affiliated news agency Tass. Ukrainian armed forces will no longer be requiring the military facilities as these territories will become the Russians' territories, Russia’s Selivanov said. "Of course, much attention of the Russian troops will be paid to ensure the Ukrainian regime will not harm the residents of the liberated territories. For this purpose, army bases and military facilities will be required," Alexey Selivanov told state agency. 

It was earlier reported that Kyiv prepared for the city of Zaporizhzhia to surrender. Volodymyr Rogov, a member of the council of the military-civilian administration of the Zaporozhye region, had said that Russian soldiers will attempt to take control of Zaporozhye region once the Donbass region in the east was “liberated.” There is no panic among people living in Russia-controlled cities in Ukraine’s Zaporozhye region, Tass quoted the chief of the interior ministry’s Zaporozhye region as saying. He accused Ukraine’s military of attempting to “spread havoc.” 

“The most important thing is that the actions of the Russian army, Russia’s National Guard and law enforcers in the Zaporozhye region have convinced most of the people that we are of no threat to them,” said Selivanov. He added that as the region fell under Russian control, the ordinary Ukrainian people - women, children, elderly people - turn to Russia’s armed forces, the police, for help. “And we do help. They turn to us as to people who can really help them. The wall between local residents and Russian structures and our police the Ukrainian mass media sought to build is non-existent any longer.” 

Russian forces take control of over 95% of Luhansk Oblast

Russian forces have now taken control of over 95% of Luhansk Oblast and will likely continue efforts to complete the capture of Severodonetsk in the coming days, think tank ISW reports. They have, although, made “unsuccessful attempts” to advance southeast of Izyum near the Kharkiv-Donetsk Oblast border. They continue to make persistent advances south and west of Popasna toward Bakhmut.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also recently signed a decree on May 25 to simplify the procedure for obtaining a Russian passport within Kherson and occupied Zaporozhye Oblasts. A Russian passport will also make conscription-eligible residents of occupied territories subject to forced military service. Russian forces are also launching strikes in Zaporozhye to disrupt a key logistics hub for Ukrainian forces operating in the East. 

Russian forces are committing a significant number of their troops, artillery, and aircraft to defeat Ukraine military in Luhansk Oblast where defenders still maintain their positions. They are likely pulling necessary resources from the Izyum axis, defensive positions around Kharkiv City, Donetsk City, and the Zaporizhia area. 

Image: AP