According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russian artillery is attacking the city of Kharkov on a large scale and is preparing a major offensive in the east of the country. Numerous rocket launchers and tanks are in use. A veritable wave of bombing started, which has already hit several cities in the east. According to Ukraine, the attacks would serve as preparation for a major offensive.
The Kharkiv region is located west of Luhansk and Donetsk. A residential building was hit in the city of Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine after the capital Kiev, on Monday evening. So far, however, there have been no reports of possible casualties, authorities said.
Search for survivors in Chasiv Yar
At the same time, rescue workers in Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine continued to search for survivors who were still suspected to be under the rubble of a residential building that was shelled by rockets on Saturday night. About two dozen people – including a child – are still missing. At least 18 people were killed in the blast.
Russia began invading its neighbor on February 24. The fighting has been concentrated in eastern Ukraine for some time. After the declared conquest of the Luhansk region by Russia, Donetsk is now at the center. The two regions together form the Donbass, an industrial area in the east, where Russian-backed separatists have controlled large parts since 2014.
The Russian leadership has repeatedly said that civilians would not be targeted in what it called the special military operation. The mission is to demilitarize and liberate the neighboring country from nationalists. The West and Ukraine, on the other hand, speak of an unprovoked war of aggression and accuse the Russian armed forces of war crimes.
Ukraine prepares counter-offensive in the south
In the south, the Ukrainian armed forces are apparently preparing a counter-offensive. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk on Sunday called on citizens in the Russian-occupied Kherson region to leave. “I’m sure women and children shouldn’t be there and they shouldn’t become human shields,” she said on TV. She left it open when the counteroffensive could begin.
Thousands of people have already died in Europe’s biggest war since World War II. Millions of Ukrainians have fled the fighting. More than 5.5 million of them have fled abroad.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
