[LIVE] War in Ukraine: the Russian army intends to "destroy everything in the Donbass", says Zelensky
Bombing in the city of Severodonetsk, in eastern Ukraine, on May 21, 2022. AFP - ARIS MESSINIS
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On the 91st day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this Wednesday, May 25, follow live the latest information on the conflict which entered its fourth month yesterday.
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The main points:
► The war in Ukraine entered
its fourth month on Tuesday, May 24.
► The situation on the ground in the
Luhansk region of
eastern Ukraine, where the Russian army has made progress in recent days, is
"
worsening by the hour
"
, regional governor Sergei said on Tuesday Gaidai.
The Russian troops are indeed concentrating their offensive on the last pocket of resistance in the Donbass.
► The American billionaire George Soros wanted to be alarmist on the sidelines of the meeting of the World Economic Forum.
“
The invasion (of Ukraine by Russia) may have been the
start of World War III
and our civilization may not survive it,
”
he said in a speech.
► Ukrainian forces are now pounding Russian positions with brand new
Western artillery systems
, a spokesman for the Ukrainian army told AFP.
Times are given in Universal Time (UT),
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04:00: The Russian army intends to “destroy everything in the Donbass”, says Zelensky
The Russian army is trying at all costs to tighten its grip on the Luhansk region, in the Donbass, where it has intensified its offensive with the aim of "
destroying everything
", according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"
In the Luhansk region, the Russians are advancing in all directions at once
," regional governor Sergey Gaidai said on Telegram on Wednesday.
"
The situation in the Donbass is extremely difficult
," acknowledged President Zelensky for his part on Tuesday evening.
"
All the forces that the Russian army still has have been thrown there for the offensive
" because they "
want to destroy everything
", he said.
Moscow has decided to intensify its offensive in the Donbass, formed by the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, which the Ukrainians are struggling to defend, after having moved Russian forces away from the country's two largest cities, Kiev and Kharkiv (northeast) .
It is in particular to defend the Donbass, partially controlled since 2014 by pro-Russian separatists, from an alleged "
genocide
", that Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
“
We will continue the special military operation until all objectives are achieved
,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu insisted on Tuesday.
He also pointed out that Moscow is preparing to carry out a long offensive in Ukraine.
The regional governor of Donbass reported "
increasingly intense bombing
" and affirmed that "
the Russian army aims to completely destroy Severodonetsk
", a strategic city northwest of Luhansk.
“
We are an outpost that holds back the assault and will.
Despite the superiority of the enemy army, we will win, because we are fighting for our land
,” Serguiï Gaïdaï launched, comparing the situation in the Luhansk region to that of Mariupol province.
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Ukraine
Russia
Day to day war in Ukraine
Vladimir Poutine
Volodymyr Zelensky
On the same subject
War in Ukraine - Day 90
The day the Russian armed forces intensified their attack in the Luhansk region