Kyiv announces the start of the "battle" for control of Donbass

The Ukrainian authorities announced, yesterday night, that the Russian forces began their attack on eastern Ukraine, which is being subjected to heavy bombardment, while strikes continue in the west of the country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a speech via "Telegram": "We can now confirm that the Russian forces have begun the battle for control of Donbass, which they have been preparing for a long time. A very large part of the Russian army is currently dedicated to this attack."

"No matter how many Russian soldiers are brought here, we will fight and defend ourselves," Zelensky said, warning Sunday that the Russians wanted to "finish and destroy Donbass."

Zelensky's announcement came shortly after the Ukrainian governor of Luhansk region, Sergey Gaidai, confirmed on Facebook that the Russian offensive on eastern Ukraine had "began."

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