Russia has started a new phase of the war in the Donbas region, representatives of the Ukrainian authorities, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, report.
“We can now confirm that Russia has started fighting for Donbas, for which they have been preparing for a long time. A big part of the Russian army is now focused on this fight,” President Zelensky said in a statement.
Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24 from three directions – from the north, in the direction of Kyiv, from the east – from the Donbas region and from the south – from the Crimean peninsula. After several weeks of unsuccessful attempts to take Kyiv, the Russian army completely withdrew from the Kyiv region in the direction of Belarus and began concentrating and regrouping its forces in the south-eastern direction, from where it is now attacking the Donbas region.
The war has so far claimed thousands of lives, including more than 200 children. Many Ukrainian cities are demolished.
By Ana Dumbadze
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