Ukraine said Thursday that Russia’s offensive in the east picked up momentum, with several towns coming under intense attack.
IRPIN, Ukraine — Ukraine said Thursday that Russia’s offensive in the east picked up momentum, with several towns coming under intense attack as Moscow’s forces attempt to surround Ukrainian troops. In a reminder of the horrific toll the war has taken since it began Feb.24, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres visited towns outside the capital of Kyiv where evidence of mass killings of civilians was found after Russia’s retreat from the area. The fighting gathered pace after Russia suddenly cut off natural gas to two NATO nations on Wednesday, in what was seen as a bid to punish and divide the West over its support for Ukraine ahead of the potentially pivotal battle in the eastern industrial region of the Donbas. The General Staff of Ukraine’s military said Russian forces were «exerting intense fire» in several places as they pushed on with the second phase of their invasion. The most intensive action was around Donetsk and close to Kharkiv, which lies outside the Donbas but is seen as key to Russia’s apparent bid to encircle Ukrainian troops there. Tatiana Pirogova spoke of the intense fear of living under constant bombardment.»It’s not just scary. It’s when your stomach contracts from pain» the Kharkiv resident said. «When they shoot during the day, it’s still OK, but when the evening comes, I can’t describe how scary it is.»The General Staff said that over the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian forces have repelled six attacks in the Donbas, control of which is now Moscow’s primary focus ever since its initial offensive faltered and failed to take the Ukrainian capital. Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said the Russian army shelled the residential area in his region «29 times by aircrafts, multiple rocket launches, tube artillery and mortars.»Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press also showed evidence of intense Russian fire on Mariupol in recent days. The images show how concentrated attacks have greatly damaged a central facility at the Azovstal steelworks, the last redoubt of Ukrainian fighters in the key battleground city.
