Russia launched - on Wednesday - a new attack to isolate major cities in eastern Ukraine, and began granting its citizenship to residents of some southern cities, at a time when the two sides differed in their positions on resuming negotiations to stop the war.

Russia launched a new offensive today, Wednesday, on the most remote city controlled by Ukraine in the east, in the Donbass region.

While Kyiv admits that the situation is "very difficult" for its forces, Moscow is talking of a long-term offensive and trying to consolidate its grip on the territory it has seized in the south.

Russia is trying to establish full control of Donbass, which consists of two provinces in the east, to the advantage of the separatists.

Russia has sent thousands of troops to the region, where they are attacking from three sides, hoping to encircle Ukrainian forces stationed in the city of Severodonetsk on the east bank of the Seversky Donets River and the opposite city of Lyschansk on the west bank.

Their fall would bring the entire Lugansk region under Russian control, a key objective of the Kremlin.


destroy everything

And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a speech - late on Tuesday - that all the remaining strength of the Russian army is now focused on this region.

Zelensky's office said the Russians launched an attack on Severodonetsk early Wednesday morning, and that the town was constantly bombarded.

The Ukrainian president admitted Tuesday evening that "the situation in Donbass is very difficult," adding that the Russians "want to destroy everything."

The Ukrainian Army Staff confirmed that Moscow is increasingly resorting to aviation to support its forces on the ground, and seeks to "destroy basic and military infrastructure."

In Donbass, the local governor said the bombing was "intensifying," noting that "the Russian army wants to completely destroy Severodonetsk," the strategic city northwest of Lugansk.

 The cities on the front line were emptied of their inhabitants.

There were only shocked people left, mostly old people, who spent most of their time hiding in dark shelters by candlelight.

Russian passports

On the southern front, Moscow is seeking to consolidate its control over the lands it seized three months ago.

 Russia announced that the people of Zaporozhye and Kherson regions will be able to obtain a Russian passport with "simplified" procedures.

Commenting on this, Kyiv said that "the illegal issuance of passports... is a flagrant violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the rules and principles of international humanitarian law."


Negotiation and prisoner exchange

In a related context, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko rejected a condition set by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to resume negotiations with Moscow on stopping the war.

Zelensky had expressed his readiness to return to negotiations after the return of Russian forces to the borders of last February 24.

But Rudenko said that the conditions of Ukraine's leaders to return to negotiations raise doubts about their desire for a peaceful solution.

Zelensky's condition was considered non-constructive.

In another matter, Rudenko considered it premature to talk about the establishment of a Russian military base in Kherson Province.

He also stressed that the possibility of exchanging prisoners with Ukraine would be discussed only after the trial of those who surrendered.

Rudenko explained that there is no information yet on the countries that can participate in the international court that will be organized in Mariupol for the Ukrainian prisoners.