The war was marked by resistance 3 months ago; Russia widens threat level

Russia’s war in Ukraine is now completing three months, with constant attacks on Ukrainian territory, especially in the east. In his speech last night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “What other country has resisted so many attacks?” he asked, noting that the country has been the target of “more than 3,000 airstrikes by Russian planes and helicopters” since Russia’s inception. occupation on February 24

Zelensky stated that he believes “the next few weeks of the war will be difficult” and stated that the Russians will not give up the occupied areas and “try to strengthen their position”. “However, we have no choice but to fight. Fight and win. Free our land and our people. Because the invaders want to take not only something from us, but everything we have. This includes the right to life for Ukrainians.”

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said today that Russia’s “speed of attack” has slowed in parts of Ukraine’s territory due to humanitarian corridors and “regimes of silence”. “Of course, this slows down the attack, but it is done deliberately to avoid civilian casualties.”

Today, on the 90th day of the war, the government of the Kursk region, on the Russian border with Ukraine, extended the yellow terrorist threat level for another two weeks until June 8. “This will help our special services keep the people of Kursk safe,” said Governor Roman Starovoit. said. There was an attack near the border last week. The region has been at this threat level since April 11 – there are three in total.

It was exposed to new attacks with the shooting of the city of Bilopillia in the Sumy region near Kursk, Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities also reported attacks on points in Kharkiv, Lugansk, Donetsk in the east and Mykolaiv in the southeast.

Resistance

Britain’s Ministry of Defense intelligence said in a report released today that there was “strong Ukrainian resistance, with forces occupying solid defensive positions”. The British, allies of the Ukrainians, said that “Russia has increased the intensity of its operations in Donbass”. [área com separatistas no leste]Because he wanted to besiege Sievierodonetsk, Lyschansk and Rubizhne”.

According to Britain, capturing Sievierodonetsk would put the entire Lugansk region under Russian occupation. “While it is currently Russia’s main effort, this operation is only part of Russia’s campaign to seize Donbass.”

MiG-29 shot down

Russian Defense Ministry said its forces shot down a MiG-29 fighter jet belonging to the Ukrainian army in the Kramatorsk region in eastern Ukraine. The information was not confirmed by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

The Russian defense also said it had launched attacks with “high-precision air-launched missiles” that hit command posts and storage areas for Ukrainian military equipment, such as a warehouse containing ammunition for US howitzers. Commenting on the war, Russian Defense Minister Shoigu said once again today that Russia is “forced” to act in Ukraine to protect the pro-Russians and demilitarize its neighbor.

The Defense of Ukraine said in its report released today that “the enemy has not ceased to conduct offensive operations in the Eastern Operational Zone.” “The greatest activity of hostilities is observed in the operational zone of Donetsk.”

threats

Ukraine said it observed the presence of a mobile missile launch system 50 kilometers from the border in the region of Belarus, a neighboring country and an ally of Russia. “The threat of missiles and air strikes against objects of our state from the territory of the Republic of Belarus is growing,” said the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

The Ukrainians also reported that Russia “continues to take measures to strengthen the extent of the Ukrainian-Russian border in the Bryansk and Kursk regions and to prevent the transfer of our troops to other directions.”

According to the Defense of Ukraine, “the enemy continues to use terrorist tactics against the civilian population in the occupied territory, and the socio-economic situation in southern and eastern Ukraine continues to deteriorate.”

According to Zelensky, “the most difficult situation of the current struggle is in the Donbass”, referring to the cities of Bakhmut, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk. “The invaders have concentrated most activity in this direction so far. They have organized a massacre there and are trying to destroy everything that lives there. Literally. No one has destroyed Donbass as much as the Russian army is doing now.”

On March 29, when Russia began to radically reduce its military activities in areas close to Kiev, it was announced that eastern Ukraine would become the focal point of the war – the Russians failed to take the Ukrainian capital. The slowness of the advance through eastern Ukraine demonstrates the difficulties of the Russian army imposed by the Ukrainian resistance.

In his speech yesterday, the Ukrainian president also reinforced the demand for more weapons from allied countries. In Zelensky’s view, “not many people would die if we got all the guns we wanted.” “All our partners agree that Ukraine’s war against Russia is about upholding the common values ​​of all countries in the free world. Our common freedom. And if so, then we have a full and immediate right to arms, in particular.”

subway back

In the city of Kharkov, located in the homonymous region in the east of the country, the metro was reopened today. Service has been interrupted in Ukraine’s second-largest city since the beginning of the Russian occupation.

Kharkov Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a statement yesterday, “In the first days of the metro’s operation, trains will pass at half-hour intervals.” The ticket is free during this first week of the resumption of operations.

“I am confident that the return of the metro will help normalize life in Kharkiv as soon as possible,” said the mayor. When closed, the stations served as a shelter for civilians from Russian attacks.

nato

In his speech at the World Economic Forum today, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the increase in forces on the eastern borders is not to provoke a conflict, but to prevent a conflict, trying to protect itself from Moscow’s attacks. “Miscalculated” actions referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“It wanted less NATO on its borders and it started a war. Now there will be more NATO and more members at its borders,” said the secretary general.

According to Stoltenberg, Finland and Sweden’s candidacy for NATO membership is a historic point and that European security “will not be dictated by violence and intimidation”. The NATO Secretary General stated that the members of the alliance agreed that the enlargement of the membership pool allows for the spread of “freedom and democracy” in Europe.

Tomorrow, delegations from Finland and Sweden will be in Turkey to discuss joining the military alliance; The Turkish government opposed it.

Stating that “the war in Ukraine shows how economic relations with authoritarian regimes can create vulnerabilities,” Stoltenberg said that this thesis is valid not only for Russia, but also for China, which is “another authoritarian regime”. “We must recognize that our economic choices have consequences for our security.”