Ukrainian officials said Sunday that Russian forces have focused their bombing anger on the eastern city of Lyschansk while also targeting Kyiv and other areas around Ukraine after capturing Severodonetsk at the weekend.
Lyschansk is the last city in Luhansk Oblast to remain under the control of Ukrainian forces. Russia already controls about half of the Donetsk region – the two provinces make up the Donbass region that have been the target of Russian forces since an early failed attempt to storm Kyiv.
Vitaly Kiselyov, an official in the Luhansk People’s Republic, said about 600 Ukrainian fighters had surrendered near Leschansk. regional governor Sarhi Heidi wrote on Facebook That the Russian army adheres to “scorched earth” tactics, such as the one that destroyed most of Severodonetsk.
“There is so much devastation,” Hedayi wrote. “Lisichansk is almost unrecognizable.” “The TV tower fell, the multi-storey buildings were burnt, the bridges leading into the city were under fire and damaged.”
Mapping and tracking: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
The latest developments:
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that Russia attacked the Ukrainian capital with missiles. Asked about Biden’s response to the latest Russian strike, Biden said, “It’s more than their barbarism.” (see more below)
Russia is poised to default on its foreign debt for the first time since the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. Russia says it can pay, but sanctions have limited the ability to move money.
Four US medium-range missile launchers arrived in Ukraine this week, and four more are on the way. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has released a video showing the first use of the High Mobility Missile Systems, or HIMARS, in Ukraine. The video did not mention a location or reference to the targets. The missiles can travel about 45 miles.
The governor of the Lviv region, Maxim Kositsky, said that four Russian cruise missiles launched from the Black Sea hit a “military target” in Yarofeev. Yarofeev has a military base used to train fighters, including foreigners who have volunteered to fight for Ukraine.
Impersonator impersonating Kyiv mayor talks to European mayors
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has warned that a scammer impersonating him has video-contacted several mayors across Europe. German magazine Bild reported that the mayor of Vienna, Austria, did not know he was talking to the fake Klitschko during the entire call. Bild said the mayors of Madrid and Berlin came to the conclusion after lengthy talks. The mayor of Berlin, Franziska Jaffe, has asked the state criminal police office to investigate.
“It’s a tool of modern warfare,” she said.
Ukraine seeks release of American veterinarians detained by Russia. Experts warn that it will be difficult
A senior Ukrainian official says his country is too Work on a prisoner exchange for the release of two American veterans who were captured by Russian forces while serving as war volunteers in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he will fight for their release, but some experts say such efforts face enormous obstacles. They point to Russia’s desire to discourage war volunteers by punishing the men – and US-Russian diplomatic relations are at an all-time low.
“If (the Russians)’s goal is to dissuade people from doing this, and if their goal is to punish people who do, they are not looking to release those people any time soon,” said William Pomeranz, acting director of the Wilson Keenan Center. Institute that focuses on Russian and Ukrainian research. Read more here.
– Chris Kenning and Kim Helmgaard
The United States, partners to ban Russian gold imports
President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that the United States would ban new imports of Russian gold, the latest penalty aimed at raising the price Russia has to pay for its incursion into Ukraine. Biden is visiting Germany to meet with the leaders of France, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan, who make up the economic alliance known as the Group of Seven. Other G7 nations are expected to join the United States in banning Russian gold. The White House says gold is second only to energy among Russian exports – nearly $19 billion in 2020. About 90% of Russia’s gold exports are to G7 countries, the vast majority of which are to Britain.
“The United States has imposed unprecedented costs on Putin to deny him the revenue he needs to fund his war against Ukraine,” Biden said. in a tweet Sunday. “Together, the G7 will announce that we will ban the import of Russian gold, a major export generating tens of billions of dollars for Russia.”
Blinkin: The Kyiv attack was aimed at “terrorizing” the Ukrainians
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Anthony Blinken said during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” that Russian President Vladimir Putin had “really failed” in his attempt to overthrow Ukraine. “His strategic goal was to end Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence, erase it from the map, and integrate it into Russia. And that failed,” he said, adding that “an independent, sovereign Ukraine will be much longer than Vladimir. Putin is on the scene.”
Russia is advancing in eastern Ukraine and also launched overnight attacks that hit two apartment buildings and a kindergarten in Kyiv, the Associated Press reported. The Russian invasion began in February with a mechanized march on Kyiv that failed, forcing Russia to turn its attention to the east. Blinken said the missile attacks on Kyiv were aimed at “terrorizing” Ukrainians.
“Since Putin lost the battle of Kyiv, he had to change his focus,” Blinkin said, adding that Russian forces “fired missiles at a distance to terrorize people.”
– Merdi Nzanga
“Amateur organizer. Wannabe beer evangelist. General web fan. Certified internet ninja. Avid reader.”
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