Russian forces are making significant advances in a narrow corridor in eastern Ukraine as the Kremlin offensive appears to be gaining pace in a bid to seize territory before Western military aid arrives.
picture Posted by Kremlin Military Blogger It shows the Russian tricolor flag flying over the destroyed village of Ocheretine. Russian troops reportedly entered territory northwest of the town of Avdiivka on Sunday, after advancing about 5 kilometers in 10 days.
This comes after Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it would suspend consular services to men of military age living abroad, except for those returning to Ukraine, in order to strengthen conscription.
Ukrainian forces withdrew from Avdiivka in February and are trying to establish a new line of defense in settlements along the Durna River, but reinforced Russian forces have been advancing in recent weeks, using air-launched glide bombs. and crushing a bunker in Ukraine.
Moscow’s Ministry of Defense claimed that Ukrainian troops fled Ocheletine in small groups under heavy fire. Video showed windows blown out, roads filled with debris and an administrative building destroyed. It appears that the civilians have left.
The capture means Russia has succeeded in bypassing the recently constructed northern flank of Ukraine’s front line, which includes minefields and trenches. This village, once home to 3,000 people, is a local road and rail hub and is located at the crossroads of the defense network.
The Regional Command of Ukraine acknowledged that the situation was difficult. It was said to have been used by Russians. “The entire arsenal for our troops.” Including what are called chemical weapons. They captured several buildings and announced that they had occupied southern Oceletin. It added that “most of the villages” remained in Ukrainian hands and the situation was under control.
Russian troops are within 30 kilometers of Pokrovsk, the region’s main garrison city, which is used for rotation of soldiers and equipment and is believed to be Russia’s next operational target. President Vladimir Putin ordered soldiers to occupy the administrative border of the Donetsk region.
Further north, a major Russian offensive is underway Capture the town of Chasif Yar. Ukraine’s Eastern Command said 20,000 to 25,000 enemy troops were attempting to storm the hilltop town and surrounding areas. Volodymyr Zelensky said the Kremlin wants to capture it by May 9, the day Russians celebrate the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II.
Russia’s battlegroups may not have an “indefinite deadline” to capitalize on recent battlefield successes. War Research Institute (ISW) said. “The Russian military command is probably aware that the window will close before further aid from the West arrives and is trying to secure offensive gains before the window closes,” he said at a briefing on Monday.
The badly needed shells, procured through the Czech-led Initiative for Ukraine, are expected to arrive by the end of May or early June, and Joe Biden has announced a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine after the Senate passes it. It is expected to be signed, meaning the Pentagon is likely to agree. We deliver some supplies, such as 155mm artillery shells, from storage locations in Europe within days.
ISW said that even the rate of artillery fire is “vital to Ukraine’s ability to deprive Russian forces of the initiative and slow down the ongoing Russian advance in forward areas such as the Avdiivka direction.”
But other weapons and systems could take weeks or even months. President Zelenskiy said in his latest speech that new US weapons will help Kiev regain control. video address. He said Ukraine needs the Patriot air defense system to “protect its skies,” as well as modern artillery and “long-range capabilities.” Zelenskiy welcomed the Biden administration’s first agreement to deploy the Atakumus missile, which has a range of 300 kilometers.
Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines complain that they are completely outnumbered and forced to ration ammunition. They said Russia could fire at least six shells for every Ukrainian military shell, and Moscow had many more tanks and combat vehicles. The Russian military also has a large number of infantry, and frequently deploys them in “meat-grinder” attacks. According to a BBC investigation, at least 50,000 Russian soldiers were killed.
Earlier this month, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada lowered the age for men to be drafted into the military from 27 to 25.. But as conditions on the battlefield worsen and casualties mount, an increasing number of soldiers are leaving the country or considering doing so. On the other hand, those who wanted to register did so long ago.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in X It said it had ordered measures to be taken regarding consular services to restore “fair treatment” to men of military age.
He said, “What’s going on now? Men of draft age go overseas and show they don’t care about the survival of this country, and then they want to come to this country and get their services.” That won’t work. Our country is at war.”
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, men between the ages of 18 and 60 must remain in Ukraine, with some exceptions. According to Eurostat’s database, as of January 2024, approximately 4.3 million Ukrainians were registered in European Union countries, of which approximately 20%, or approximately 860,000, were adult males.
