Russia is preparing to launch a new offensive in Eastern Ukraine trying to seize city of Kharkiv and encircle the heavily fortified eastern front line of the country, Ukraine defense Ministry said on Monday.
Separately, US President Joe Biden national Security Consultant Jake Sullivan also Russia probably said plans to post dozens of in thousands of soldiers in Eastern Ukraine as its focus shifted to the south and east of the country.
Russia was attacking cities of Rubizhne and Popasna in Luhansk region To put way for attacks on The capital of the region of Severodonetsk and also mobilize forces for capture the besieged port of Mariupol, Ukraine defense Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motozyanek said.
Severodonetsk and Mariupol are located in the far north and south of the tip of Ukraine’s several hundred kilometer long line of call, ‘stop-fire The line captured by the Ukrainian forces against Russian-backed separatist forces in Donbass since 2015.
“At this point, we believe Russia is reviewing its war objectives” to focus on ‘Eastern and parts of Southern Ukraine instead of targeting most of Sullivan told reporters at the White House. on Monday.
The goal He was likely to “besiege and crush” the Ukrainian forces in The region, He said. Russia can then use any tactical success He achieves to publish a story of progress And the mask… Advance military failure. “
big attack Because in eastern ukraine
Separately, conservative of East Luhansk region also He said that the Russian forces are preparing for a big attack in The regionurges mass evacuation.
“We see it equipment Coming from different directions, bringing manpower, bringing fuel,” Serhi Gaidai said in Video statement on cable.
We understand that they are preparing for a full-Scale big breakthrough ” added. Gaidai urged residents to leave region as soon as possible. “Please don’t wait for is yours homes to be bombed in separate video.
“do not hesitate” addedspecifying 1000 people evacuated on Monday.
a senior pentagonal official on Monday said Russia has removed about two thirds of The forces that were around Kyiv – who Mostly sent back to Belarus with plans To redeploy elsewhere in Ukraine.
And so were the Russian units, Motozyanek said moving out of Belarus, Russia, and Moscow were preparing stocks of fuel and ammunition in regions bordering eastern Ukraine.
It was Russia also Equipping medical facilities for potential flow of He said in a press statement that the number of dead and wounded among its forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin invasionwho started on February 24 is the deadliest in Europe since World War II. Russia calls itspecial military Operation “aimed at protecting civilians.
Ukraine aid, sanctions on Russia
Sullivan said the Biden administration will announce a new one military help for Ukraine in Coming days. He said more penalties against Russian energy on Table in talks with European allies.
Sullivan said next phase may be long with Russian forces outnumber Ukrainian forces. It is likely that Moscow will seek to control a much wider sector of Eastern Ukraine from the separatists who took control of it before invasionHe said.
In the south, Russia is likely to seek to retain city of Kherson to control the flow of The waters of the annexed Crimea in 2014. He said the Kremlin is expected to launch more air And missile strikes across the rest of Country.
Biden on Monday accused Putin of He called war crimes for Trial, well to global cry over killing civilians in Bucha, a town recaptured by Ukrainian forces as Russian forces regroup.
Russia has categorically denied killing civilians among them in Butcha. Its envoy to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, promised that Russia would present “empirical evidence” to the Security Council that its forces were not. killing civilians.
