Russia Gains Ground in Eastern Ukraine as Key Donbas City Destroyed
In the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was rather apparent that the Kremlin was ill prepared. Troops rolling into Ukraine were tricked into being there, and the subsequent morass of morale had a great many soldiers deserting their posts, refusing to fight, or even shooting themselves in order to be sent home.
But now that the Russian army is focusing on Eastern Ukraine only, it appears as though some of these organizational issues are being ironed out.
Russian forces have entered the outskirts of Sievierodonetsk, a major city in Ukraine’s Donbas region, that has been a military objective of Russia in recent weeks, an official said.
Advertisement - story continues belowGovernor Serhiy Gaidai of Luhansk, which is just over 50 miles away, said Russian forces advanced into the city’s eastern side after an assault earlier in the day left two civilians dead and wounded five others, Reuters reported.
The Ukrainian President clearly understood what was at stake.
In an address to the country Sunday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces indiscriminately bombed the town as “some 90% of buildings are damaged.”
“As a result of the Russian strikes at Severodonetsk, the entire critical infrastructure of the city has already been destroyed,” Zelenskyy added. “More than two-thirds of the city’s housing stock has been completely destroyed.”
Advertisement - story continues belowZelesnkyy recognized capturing the town was a “fundamental task” for Russia’s military and “don’t care how many lives they will have to pay for this attempt to raise the Russian flag” in its capital.”
Russia had originally suggested that the invasion of Ukraine would last only 72 hours, but have been dealing with an intense resistance for 3 months at this point.
