• 5:05 am: civilians called to evacuate Sloviansk

“My main advice: evacuate!” Donestk region governor Pavlo Kyrylenko told residents of the city of Sloviansk on Tuesday evening, adding that “during the week there was not a single day without bombardment.

He had announced a few hours earlier two dead and seven wounded in strikes which notably targeted the city market.

With the fall of Lysytchansk on Sunday, Russian forces control almost all of the Luhansk region and are now seeking to do the same in Donetsk to thus occupy all of Donbass, which pro-Russian separatists had partially controlled since 2014.

  • 2:20 a.m.: Russian troops approach the Donetsk region

Intense fighting is ongoing and Russian troops are advancing in the Donetsk region after seizing two towns in neighboring Luhansk region, Ukrainian Governor of Luhansk Serhiy Gaidai said.

He said that although the Russian army had suffered heavy losses in the fighting that took place in Lysytchansk and Sievierodonetsk, it was continuing its advance towards the south.

"Intense fighting is underway on the borders of the Luhansk region. All Russian army forces have been deployed there. They are suffering heavy losses," Serhiy Gaidai told Ukrainian television.

"A lot of equipment is sent to Donetsk region. Of course, after Luhansk region, Donetsk region is at the very top of their list," he said.

  • 1:18 am: Latvia to restore compulsory military service

Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks announced on Tuesday the restoration of compulsory military service amid growing tensions with neighboring Russia and war in Ukraine.

"Latvia's current military system has reached its limits. At the same time, we have no reason to believe that Russia will change its behavior," he explained.

Latvia had dropped out of compulsory service after joining NATO.

Since 2007, the army of this Baltic country member of the European Union has been made up of professional soldiers and National Guard volunteers who serve in the infantry part-time on weekends.

With AFP

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