According to the Ukrainian general staff, Russia has started the expected offensive in the east of the country. “Indications of the start of the offensive in the Eastern Operational Zone are being identified,” the General Staff said in Kyiv this evening. The Kharkiv and Donetsk regions were highlighted. Advances towards Barvinkove and Sloviansk in the Donetsk region are expected from Izyum in the Kharkiv region.
The governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Hajdaj, also spoke of Russian attacks. “The control over the city of Kreminna has just been lost. Street fights are taking place.” Evacuation of the small town is no longer possible. “The situation is getting worse every hour.” There is also heavy fighting around the cities of Rubishne and Popasna.
The Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych had previously informed about Russian advances in the direction of Hulyaipole in the Zaporizhia region in the south-east. Around 10,000 Russian soldiers are said to be in action. The Russian war of aggression on the neighboring country has been going on for more than seven weeks.