All-out attack on Donbas: The second phase of the invasion attempt has begun

The Russian army started the long-awaited offensive in eastern Ukraine the previous night. Soldiers are trying to break through the defensive line along the entire front in Donbas. “The next phase of the operation begins now,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Ukraine also announced that Moscow’s goal is to completely capture Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia and Mariupol.

As the 55th day of the Russia-Ukraine war is behind, the Russian army started the long-awaited offensive in eastern Ukraine the previous night. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Russia had started the “Battle of the Donbas”. Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov also said that Russian forces are trying to break through the defensive line almost along the entire front in Donbas. Giving the message that the military operation in Ukraine will continue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, “The next phase of the operation begins now.” Russia, which started its attempt to invade Ukraine on February 24, withdrew from the northern front last month and concentrated its forces in the east.

RUSSIA INCREASED THE NUMBER OF TACTICAL BATTLE
Moscow reportedly increased the number of tactical battalions in eastern Ukraine to 76 before launching the offensive. A senior official from the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) told reporters that the Russian army continues to build up in eastern Ukraine, and said, “We evaluate the number of tactical battalions to have increased to 76. In other words, they have added 11 battalions since Thursday.” It is known that Russia’s tactical battalions consist of an average of 800 to 1000 soldiers.
FOUR REGIONS ARE AT THE TARGET OF MOSCOW
Oleksiy Arerestovic, Senior Advisor to the Office of the President of Ukraine, stated that the Russian army aims to seize four regions in the new offensive in eastern Ukraine. In a statement to a national television channel, Arerestovic said that the Russian army is generally trying to break through the defense line in the east of the country, and noted that Moscow’s goal is to completely capture Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia and Mariupol.

ZELENSKI: WE WILL DEFEND IT TO THE END
Zelensky, in the video message he shared, used the phrase “We can say that the Russian troops have started the war for Donbas, for which they have been preparing for a long time.” Stating that a significant part of the Russian army is focused on this offensive, Zelenski said, “No matter how many soldiers are sent to Donbas, we will fight and defend ourselves. We will not give up anything that belongs to Ukraine,” he said.
The hope of the UN in Ankara
Martin Griffiths, United Nations (UN) Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Aid Coordinator, noted that they are hopeful from Turkey for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Griffiths reported that this could be possible in a few weeks, and that he will visit Turkey next week in hopes of a possible ceasefire. Noting that Turkey was successful on the road to peace, Griffiths said, “Turkey has been able to present itself to both sides as a really valuable and useful host for these talks.”