The Russian army continues to intensify its offensive with the aim of “destroy everything” in the Donbass (east), according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. After having removed the Russian forces from the two largest cities of the country, kyiv and Kharkiv (northeast), the Ukrainians are struggling to defend the regions of Lugansk and Donetsk Here is what to remember from the situation this Wednesday.
The essential
The situation on the military front
“Extremely difficult” situation in the Donbass
The Russian army is inexorably trying to tighten its grip on the Lugansk region, in Donbass (east), where it has intensified its offensive. “In the Lugansk region, the Russians are advancing in all directions at once“, said Wednesday the regional governor Serguiï Gaïdaï, on Telegram.
“The situation in the Donbass is extremely difficult“, recognized for his part President Zelensky. “All the forces that the Russian army still has were thrown there for the offensive” because they “want to destroy everything“, he asserted.
Moscow has decided to intensify its offensive in the Donbass, formed by the regions of Lugansk and Donetsk. It is in particular to defend the Donbass, partially controlled since 2014 by pro-Russian separatists, from an alleged “genocide”, that Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
“We will continue the special military operation until all goals are achieved“, insisted Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. He also stressed that Moscow was preparing to carry out a long offensive in Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian Armed Forces Staff, Moscow is making more use of its air force to support its ground troops.
“Due to a lack of high-precision missiles, the enemy seeks to destroy critical and military infrastructure in Ukraine by other means“, he said. In the Donbass, the Governor General reported “increasingly intense bombardment” and affirmed that “the Russian army aims to completely destroy Severodonetsk“, a strategic city northwest of Lugansk.
kyiv calls on Westerners to deliver more weapons
In this context, kyiv urged the West to deliver more armaments. “The Russian offensive in the Donbass is a ruthless battle, the largest on European soil since the Second World War. I urge our partners to speed up arms and ammunition deliveries“, thus launched the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kouleba.
President Zelensky himself called for “heavy weapons: rocket-propelled grenades, tanks, anti-ship weapons and other weapons“.
The diplomatic situation and international reactions
Paris and Berlin believe in an embargo agreement on Russian oil
While the subject does not currently have the necessary unanimity within the Twenty-Seven, Paris and Berlin are hoping for the unblocking of an embargo on Russian oil, despite the opposition of Hungary. German Economy Minister Robert Habeck has argued that an embargo could be implemented “in a few days”. Paris considered for its part that“there is still the possibility in the days that have just come to unblock the Hungarian veto”adding that “Different options are on the table”.
Originally, Brussels planned to stop imports of Russian crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of 2022. But Hungary is refusing for the moment this sixth package of sanctions, for lack of guarantees on the maintenance of its supply.
In a letter to the President of the European Council Charles Michel, the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had considered “very unlikely” an agreement in the next few days.
Hungary declares state of emergency
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban introduced a second state of emergency on Tuesday, this time to deal with the consequences of the war in Ukraine, while the first, linked to the coronavirus pandemic, was due to expire next Tuesday.
“The world is on the brink of an economic crisis. Hungary must stay out of this war and protect the financial security of its families,” the nationalist leader said on Facebook, raising concerns. “This requires leeway and immediate action.”
The civil liberties NGO TASZ denounced a “state of emergency that has become permanent”.
He offers Viktor Orban “more leeway than usual”, allowing him to “purely restricting or suspending everyone’s fundamental rights”, denounces the NGO.
The humanitarian situation
234 children killed and 433 injured
In three months of armed conflict, 234 children have been killed and 433 injured, denounced this Tuesday the office of the general prosecutor of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova. In total, thousands of civilians and soldiers perished, without there being a quantified toll. For the city of Mariupol alone, the Ukrainian authorities speak of 20,000 dead.
On the Russian side, Western sources estimate the number of soldiers killed at 12,00085,000 Ukrainian refugees in France
85,000 Ukrainians in France
According to the latest figures from the French Office for Immigration and Integration (Ofii), 85,000 Ukrainians have taken refuge in France after three months of war. These are people who benefit from the allowance for asylum seekers (Ada) in France. As of May 20, 45,000 payment cards have been issued to families who have left the country since February 24.
Eight million displaced
The conflict has already caused thousands of civilian and military deaths, according to several estimates. For the city of MariupolHowever, the Ukrainian authorities speak of 20,000 dead.
The war also turned the country’s demographics upside down: more than eight million Ukrainians have been displaced inside their country, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Added to this are 6.5 million who have fled abroad, more than half of them – 3.4 million – to Poland.