Russia is apparently focusing its attacks on the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine. The population living there is now to be brought to safety via several escape corridors.
In the war against Ukraine, Russian troops are apparently increasingly concentrating their attacks on the Luhansk region. According to the Ukrainian general staff, there have been attacks by Russia in eight locations in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in the past 24 hours, but they have all been repelled.
The Russian military is primarily trying to capture the cities of Popasna and Rubishne in the Luhansk region, the General Staff situation report said. Several Russian tanks and an artillery system could have been destroyed in Ukraine’s counterattacks. The information cannot be independently verified.
Six escape corridors announced
Concerns about a possible large-scale offensive by Russia in eastern Ukraine have been growing in Ukraine for weeks, but also in the West. According to the British and US secret services, Russia is now trying to concentrate the troops withdrawn from northern Ukraine in the east of the country.
The Ukrainian General Staff also reported that Russian units previously deployed to the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv are now stationed around the major city of Sievarodonetsk, which borders the Rubishne.
The governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Gaidai, announced on Telegram that six escape corridors are to be set up today to bring the population to safety in good time. He urged residents to leave the area. “Do not hesitate and go while you still have the opportunity,” Gaidai wrote. Buses are available at collection points, and there are also enough trains to leave the area.
According to the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister, Iryna Wereshchuk, nine escape corridors have been agreed throughout Ukraine. People should also be able to flee from the port city of Mariupol, but this is only possible with private vehicles.
Selenskyj appreciates courage of Ukrainians
Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has been going on for 50 days – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj took this opportunity to pay tribute to the courage and perseverance of the armed forces and the people of his country in a video speech. People could be proud to have survived 50 days “where the Russians gave us a maximum of five,” Zelensky said. This is based on the decision of millions of Ukrainians “who made the most important decision of their lives on February 24 – to fight”.
Zelenskyy listed the successes in the fight against the Russian troops, including the sinking of the missile cruiser “Moscow”, which was achieved by a Ukrainian attack. This has not yet been independently confirmed either.
The President recalled the first day of the invasion, when many politicians around the world advised him to leave the country. “But they didn’t know how brave Ukrainians are, how much we value freedom and the opportunity to live the way we want,” Zelenskyy said.
