Ukraine: after taking the Luhansk region, Vladimir Putin orders the continuation of the offensive
Russian President Vladimir Putin (here May 9, 2022) has ordered his forces to continue their offensive in eastern Ukraine.
AFP - KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed Monday, July 4, that his forces would continue their offensive in eastern Ukraine, after the withdrawal of Ukrainian armed forces from the city of Lyssytchansk.
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The Russian forces "
must carry out their missions in accordance with the plans already approved
", declared Vladimir Putin during an interview with his Minister of Defense, Sergei Shoigu, broadcast on television Monday.
“
I hope that in their sectors everything will happen as it happened in Luhansk
,” he added.
Donetsk region under pressure
After having secured control of that of Luhansk on Sunday with
the capture of Lyssytchansk
following Sievierodonetsk, the Russian army is now increasing its pressure in the Donetsk region.
Lyssychansk was "
the last major population center in the Luhansk region still under Ukrainian control
", underlines the British Ministry of Defense.
"
Russia's attention will now most certainly turn to capturing the Donetsk region, much of which remains under the control of Ukrainian forces
," he added.
"
We continue to defend a tiny part (of the territory) of the Lugansk region so that our army can
" prepare a new line of defense, said Monday the Ukrainian governor of this region, Serhiy Haïdaï.
The Russian army now seems to be concentrating its efforts on two major cities in the Donetsk region, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, which have been shelled relentlessly since Sunday.
Regional authorities reported on Monday ten dead, including two children, the day before in Russian strikes in Sloviansk and the surrounding area.
“
The Battle of Donbass has entered a new phase.
The Ukrainian army has installed a new line of defense (the Siversk-Bakhmut barrier) and continues to hold key fortresses in the Donetsk region
,” said Kyiv Independent defense correspondent Illia Ponomarenko on Twitter.
The Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday that its air force destroyed "
seven command posts in one day
" in the Donetsk region, including that of the 25th Ukrainian Airborne Brigade and two arms and ammunition depots.
Vladimir Putin also indicated that two of his generals, Alexander Lapin and Essedoulla Abatchev, will be made "heroes of Russia" for their role in the fighting in Ukraine, without further details.
Russia, very secret about this type of information, had recently revealed the names of two generals, Sergei Surovikin and Alexander Lapin, in charge of the offensive on Lyssytchansk.
Reconstruction, "the common task" of the democratic world, says Volodymyr Zelensky
While the outcome of the war still seems distant,
an international conference
opened Monday in Switzerland, devoted to the efforts necessary to rebuild the country when the weapons have spoken.
The reconstruction of Ukraine is "
the common task of the whole democratic world
" and "
the most important contribution to peace in the world
", declared the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, by videoconference at the opening of this meet in front of the officials of the allied countries of Kiev and many international institutions.
Ukraine claims to have returned its flag to Serpents' Island
The Ukrainian flag is flying again on Serpents' Island, a military spokeswoman said Monday, confirming its recapture by Ukrainian forces.
Passed under Russian control, it was taken over by the Ukrainians last week, following heavy bombardments.
“
The military operation has ended and the territory has now returned to the jurisdiction of Ukraine
,” spokeswoman for the southern defense forces, Natalia Goumenyuk, told reporters, without specifying whether Ukrainian soldiers had relocated. on the island.
(
with AFP
)
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On the same subject
War in Ukraine: the Ukrainian army announces its withdrawal from Lysytchansk
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On the front line, near New York, in the sights of pro-Russian forces