KYIV: Russian forces marched toward the center of the eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk on Monday, while President Volodymyr Zelensky prepared to appeal The European Union Leaders at an emergency summit where a ban on Russian oil imports is on the agenda.
Zelensky is expected to pressure EU officials to “kill Russian exports” as he seeks to ease international pressure on Moscow.
Member states are seeking an agreement on the sixth round of sanctions, which has been delayed due to resistance from within the bloc, namely from Hungary.
During this, Russia The army continued its pressure in the eastern Donbass, increasing pressure on the twin cities of Severodonetsk and Lisichansk.
Since failing to capture Kyiv in the early stages of the war, Russia’s military has turned its attention, relentlessly grabbing cities with artillery and missile barrage as it seeks to consolidate its control.
The situation in Severodonetsk, across the Donets River from Lisichansk, was “very difficult”, Sergei Gede, the regional governor of the local Lugansk, said in a statement on social media.
Gade said “the Russians are advancing in the middle of Severodnetsk”, while the fighting continued.
While Russia concentrated its efforts in the east, Ukrainian forces pushed back over the weekend in the southern sector KhersonThe country’s military leadership said.
At the same time, two people were injured in an explosion in the Moscow-controlled city of Melitopol in the southeast. UkraineTalked with local pro-Kremlin officials to lay the blame on Kyiv.
France’s newly appointed Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna also traveled to the Ukrainian capital on Monday to hold talks with Zelensky.
Colonna, the highest-ranking French official who visited Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, also visited the city of Buka, where Russian soldiers have been accused of committing war crimes against the civilian population.
In the eastern Donbass region, Moscow’s forces were making slow progress towards the capture of the city of Severodnetsk.
Zelensky described a scene of devastation in Severodnetsk in his daily address on Sunday.
“All critical infrastructure has already been destroyed … more than two-thirds of the city’s housing stock has been completely destroyed,” he said.
In Severodonetsk, where an estimated 15,000 civilians live, a local official said “constant shelling” made it difficult to get in or out when water supplies became increasingly unstable.
Ukrainian forces counterattacked in the area of Kherson, the only area in the country controlled entirely by Russian troops.
Russia gained control of much of Kherson, bordering Crimea, in the early stages of the war, and Moscow-backed officials in the region recently pressed for annexation.
While limited in nature, the attack could have the effect of dragging Russian forces.
The Ukrainian General Staff claimed that the move put their adversary in an “adversarial situation” around the villages of Andreevka, Lozovo and Bilohorka and forced Moscow to send reserves to the area.
“Kherson, wait. We are close!” tweeted this on Sunday.
In Melitopol, Russia-founded officials said in a statement that the city had been targeted by a “terrorist attack.”
An explosives-laden car exploded in the city center, injuring two “humanitarian aid” volunteers, a 28-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man, according to the statement.
“The Ukrainian government continues its war on the civilian population and the infrastructure of the cities,” the officials said.
A new, sixth round of European sanctions has been organized by Hungary, which has close ties with Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
EU ambassadors made a final push ahead of the summit to persuade Hungary to accept a water-logged oil embargo against Russia.
The landlocked country is heavily dependent on Russian crude oil supplied through the Druzhba pipeline.
Hungary has sought at least four years and 800 million euros ($860 million) in EU funds to optimize its refineries and increase pipeline capacity for alternative suppliers such as Croatia.
An EU official told AFP that the Druzhba pipeline could be left out of the sanctions package “for the time being” under the deal’s proposal.
Meanwhile, Zelensky on Sunday made his first visit to the beleaguered East since the start of the war, roaming the streets of the Kharkiv region’s devastated capital in a bullet-proof vest.
While in Kharkiv, Zelensky discussed reconstruction plans with local officials, saying that there was a chance to be “a new face” for areas ruined by Russian attacks.
The city has returned to normalcy in recent weeks, despite an estimated 2,000 apartment blocks being completely or partially destroyed by the shelling.
Ukraine’s president said after the visit, while a third of the northeastern region is under Russian control, “we will certainly liberate the whole region.”
Zelensky is expected to pressure EU officials to “kill Russian exports” as he seeks to ease international pressure on Moscow.
Member states are seeking an agreement on the sixth round of sanctions, which has been delayed due to resistance from within the bloc, namely from Hungary.
During this, Russia The army continued its pressure in the eastern Donbass, increasing pressure on the twin cities of Severodonetsk and Lisichansk.
Since failing to capture Kyiv in the early stages of the war, Russia’s military has turned its attention, relentlessly grabbing cities with artillery and missile barrage as it seeks to consolidate its control.
The situation in Severodonetsk, across the Donets River from Lisichansk, was “very difficult”, Sergei Gede, the regional governor of the local Lugansk, said in a statement on social media.
Gade said “the Russians are advancing in the middle of Severodnetsk”, while the fighting continued.
While Russia concentrated its efforts in the east, Ukrainian forces pushed back over the weekend in the southern sector KhersonThe country’s military leadership said.
At the same time, two people were injured in an explosion in the Moscow-controlled city of Melitopol in the southeast. UkraineTalked with local pro-Kremlin officials to lay the blame on Kyiv.
France’s newly appointed Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna also traveled to the Ukrainian capital on Monday to hold talks with Zelensky.
Colonna, the highest-ranking French official who visited Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, also visited the city of Buka, where Russian soldiers have been accused of committing war crimes against the civilian population.
In the eastern Donbass region, Moscow’s forces were making slow progress towards the capture of the city of Severodnetsk.
Zelensky described a scene of devastation in Severodnetsk in his daily address on Sunday.
“All critical infrastructure has already been destroyed … more than two-thirds of the city’s housing stock has been completely destroyed,” he said.
In Severodonetsk, where an estimated 15,000 civilians live, a local official said “constant shelling” made it difficult to get in or out when water supplies became increasingly unstable.
Ukrainian forces counterattacked in the area of Kherson, the only area in the country controlled entirely by Russian troops.
Russia gained control of much of Kherson, bordering Crimea, in the early stages of the war, and Moscow-backed officials in the region recently pressed for annexation.
While limited in nature, the attack could have the effect of dragging Russian forces.
The Ukrainian General Staff claimed that the move put their adversary in an “adversarial situation” around the villages of Andreevka, Lozovo and Bilohorka and forced Moscow to send reserves to the area.
“Kherson, wait. We are close!” tweeted this on Sunday.
In Melitopol, Russia-founded officials said in a statement that the city had been targeted by a “terrorist attack.”
An explosives-laden car exploded in the city center, injuring two “humanitarian aid” volunteers, a 28-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man, according to the statement.
“The Ukrainian government continues its war on the civilian population and the infrastructure of the cities,” the officials said.
A new, sixth round of European sanctions has been organized by Hungary, which has close ties with Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
EU ambassadors made a final push ahead of the summit to persuade Hungary to accept a water-logged oil embargo against Russia.
The landlocked country is heavily dependent on Russian crude oil supplied through the Druzhba pipeline.
Hungary has sought at least four years and 800 million euros ($860 million) in EU funds to optimize its refineries and increase pipeline capacity for alternative suppliers such as Croatia.
An EU official told AFP that the Druzhba pipeline could be left out of the sanctions package “for the time being” under the deal’s proposal.
Meanwhile, Zelensky on Sunday made his first visit to the beleaguered East since the start of the war, roaming the streets of the Kharkiv region’s devastated capital in a bullet-proof vest.
While in Kharkiv, Zelensky discussed reconstruction plans with local officials, saying that there was a chance to be “a new face” for areas ruined by Russian attacks.
The city has returned to normalcy in recent weeks, despite an estimated 2,000 apartment blocks being completely or partially destroyed by the shelling.
Ukraine’s president said after the visit, while a third of the northeastern region is under Russian control, “we will certainly liberate the whole region.”