KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces have targeted their most recent attacks in Ukraine on the eastern Donetsk region, civilian and military sites in several cities, the Ukrainian military said Monday.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said the Russian military is also conducting its air and artillery movements around the Azovstal factory in Mariupol, the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in the strategic city.
In the Donetsk region, he said, Russian forces used a variety of weapons in Ukrainian army fortifications and sets and fired artillery at civilian infrastructure in the cities of Dovhenke, Ruski Tyshki, Ternova and Petrivka.
Around Kharkiv, Ukraine’s largest city at the moment, Russian forces are now focusing on “holding positions and preventing the advance of our troops towards the border. “
The Ukrainian daily note did not detail express gains or losses. It is very difficult to obtain a transparent overall picture of the fighting in the east due to the strict restrictions imposed by both sides and the danger of air and artillery movements common in the region.
___
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Russian war effort in Ukraine faces diplomatic and military obstacles
– Ukrainian singer Tina Karol, visiting Japan, says she will rebuild herself
— Eurovision victory in hand, Ukraine launches new war video
– Polish Nobel laureate Tokarczuk declares that Russia is a risk to the “free world”
— Follow the entire PA on Russia’s war against Ukraine in https://apnews. com/hub/russia-ukraine
___
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
LONDON – The British army government says the presence of Belarusian forces on the border may force Ukrainian troops to remain in the domain rather than go on operations in the eastern Donbass region.
Belarus, a close friend of Russia, said last week that it planned to send special operations troops to 3 spaces near the border with Ukraine as it complained about the buildup of NATO troops in the region. The British Ministry of Defence, in an intelligence report published on Monday, said Belarus had also deployed air defence forces, artillery and missiles at educational sites in western Belarus.
The ministry claims that Belarusian forces were not directly involved in the invasion of Ukraine, Belarus was used as a staging ground for Russian attacks on the cities of Kiev and Chernihiv. Russia has also introduced aircraft and missiles from Belarusian territory.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko “is likely to balance aid for Russia’s invasion with the preference of avoiding direct military involvement with the threat of Western sanctions, Ukrainian retaliation and the imaginable discontent of the Belarusian army,” the British government said.