Front lines in Donbas move as Ukraine launches counteroffensive

On Sunday, the front lines in Ukraine altered as Russia advanced in the highly contested eastern Donbas area and Ukraine’s forces launched a counteroffensive near the strategically important Russian-held city of Izium.

Commanders in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, where Ukrainian forces have been attacking since early this month, claimed Russia was withdrawing soldiers to strengthen positions around Izium to the south.

Since Russia’s invasion on February 24, Ukraine has achieved a string of victories, forcing Russia’s commanders to abort an advance on the capital Kyiv and then making swift gains to force them out of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.

The Russian invasion, described as a “special operation” to disarm Ukraine and safeguard it from Nazis, has shaken European security. Kyiv and its Western supporters argue that the fascist claim is a sham justification for an aggressive campaign of aggression.

Finland’s president, who shares a 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) border with Russia, declared on Sunday that his nation will apply to join NATO, a dramatic strategic shift spurred by Russia’s incursion.

NATO’s deputy secretary-general expressed confidence that Finland and Sweden, which are also anticipated to declare their intention to join, would be allowed into the alliance quickly, and that Turkey’s reservations could be addressed.

Since mid-April, Russian forces have focused much of their firepower on trying to capture two provinces known as the Donbas after failing to take Kyiv.

An assessment by British military intelligence issued on Sunday said Russia had lost about a third of the ground combat forces deployed in February. Its Donbas offensive had fallen “significantly behind schedule” and was unlikely to make rapid advances during the coming 30 days, the assessment said.

On Saturday night, Ukraine received a morale boost with victory in the Eurovision Song Contest, a triumph seen as a sign of the strength of popular support for Ukraine across Europe.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the win but said the situation in Donbas remained very difficult, and Russian forces were still trying to salvage some kind of victory in a region riven by conflict since 2014.

“They are not stopping their efforts,” he said.

“Nowhere to bury anyone”

Keeping up the pressure on Izium and Russian supply lines will make it harder for Moscow to encircle battle-hardened Ukrainian troops on the eastern front in the Donbas.

Izium straddles the Donets river, about 120 km (75 miles) from Kharkiv on the main highway heading southeast.

“The hottest spot remains the Izium direction,” regional governor Oleh Sinegubov said in comments aired on social media.

“Our armed forces have switched to a counteroffensive there. The enemy is retreating on some fronts.”

In Ruska Lozova, a village set in sweeping fields between Kharkiv and Ukraine’s border with Russia, Ukrainian commanders said they believed Moscow was redeploying troops to defend Izium while keeping their opponents pinned down with artillery fire.

“The Russian attack on Kharkiv has been destroyed and they understand this,” said Ihor Obolensky, who commands the National Guard and volunteer force that captured Ruska Lozova eight days ago. “They need to try for a new victory and want to hold Izium.”

Both sides claimed success in military strikes in Donbas.

Russia said on Sunday it had pummelled Ukrainian positions in the east with missiles, targeting command centers and arsenals as its forces seek to encircle Ukrainian units in the battle for Donbas.

But Ukraine’s military also acknowledged setbacks in an update on Sunday morning: “Despite losses, Russian forces continue to advance in the Lyman, Sievierodonetsk, Avdiivka, and Kurakhiv areas in the broader Donbas region.”

For the latest International News Follow BOL News on Google News. Read more on Latest International News on oldsite.bolnews.com