Russia preparing for next stage of offensive, Ukraine says

Russia has begun preparations for the next stage in its offensive in Ukraine. This is after Moscow declared that its forces would intensify military operations in all operational areas.

In recent days, Russian missiles and rockets have struck cities with strikes that Kyiv claims have killed many.

Vadym Skibitskyi (a spokesperson for Ukrainian military intelligence) said that it was not just missile strikes from the sea and air. "We can see shelling along all of the front line, and along the line of contact. Tactical aviation and attack helicopters are being used actively.

According to the Ukrainian military, Russia was reportedly preparing units for an offensive against Sloviansk. This is a symbolically important city that Ukraine holds in the eastern region.

As Russian President Vladimir Putin intensifies the conflict in Ukraine, Ukraine claims that at least 40 civilians have been killed by Russian bombing in urban areas over the past three days.

According to Oleh Synehubov, rockets struck the Chuhuiv, a northeastern city in Kharkiv, on Friday night. The attack killed three people, including a 70-year old woman, and wounded three others.

"Why did three people lose their lives? Why? Because Putin went mad?" Raisa Shapoval (83), a distraught resident, sitting in the ruins of her home.

Two people were killed in the rubble when more than 50 Russian Grad rockets struck Nikopol, which is to the south on the Dnipro River.

Moscow calls the invasion a special military operation to demilitarise its neighbor and "denazify", and says that it uses high-precision weaponry to destroy Ukraine's military infrastructure as well as its security. It has denied repeatedly that it is targeting civilians.

The West and Kyiv both believe that the conflict is unprovoked in an attempt to retake a country that was freed from Moscow's control with the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union.

According to a ministry statement, Sergei Shoigu, Russian Defence Minister, ordered military units to intensify their operations to stop Ukraine from striking eastern Ukraine or other Russian-held areas. He said that Kyiv could strike civilian infrastructure and residents in the area.

His comments seemed to be in direct response to Kyiv's string of successful strikes on Russian logistics and ammunitions hubs using multiple launch rocket systems supplied recently by the West.

According to a spokesperson for Ukraine's defense ministry, the strikes have caused havoc with Russian supply lines and significantly reduced Russia's offensive capabilities.

Share this article: