In the recent days, the Russian military intensified its brutal assaults on the Armed Forces of Ukraine, trying to take control of the southeastern region of Donbass precisely three months after the Russian leader instructed his forces to launch an attack on the East European country of Ukraine with the expectation of swiftly overpowering the entire state and capsize Zelenskyy’s administration.

In addition, the brutal fighting concentrated on Kyiv-controlled cities of Sieverodonetsk, located to the North-East of the Siverskyi Donets river’s left bank, and its twin Lysychansk, a city in the Sievierodonetsk Raion of the Luhansk Oblast of Ukraine, situated on the high right bank of the Siverskyi Donets River, with Putin-led troops progressing from three sides to surround them.

The Governor of Luhansk Oblast, Serhiy Haidai, said that the combat power on Sieverodonetsk, about 68 miles to the northwest from the Oblast capital, Luhansk, has increased much; they’re merely destroying the city where nearly fifteen thousand people live. It’s the largest Ukrainian city under the control of Kyiv in Luhansk Oblast; it has come under intense shelling and missile attacks from the Russian military.

Previously on Sunday, May 22, Severodonetsk officials said that Moscow troops were strongly resisted and driven back after attempting to enter the city area from all directions. It happened as the leader of Ukraine has called for further sanctions against Russians and requested to halt entire trade with aggressors.

While speaking virtually at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, the Ukrainian President requested ‘maximum sanctions’ to be levied on Russians, saying Russia’s frozen assets should be utilized in reconstructing destroyed cities in Ukraine. He added that there has to be a precedent to punish invaders like Russia. If the assaulter loses everything, there’d undoubtedly be no motivation to start a fight.

Crush the Aspirations

In his nightly address to Ukraine defenders, Zelenskyy said that the most difficult fighting condition today is in the Donbass region. Severodonetsk, Popasna, and Bakhmut – in this direction, the Russians have concentrated the greatest activity thus far. Moscow forces organized a massacre there and are attempting to destroy everything there.

Moreover, Zelenskyy said: Literally, nobody destroyed southeastern Donbass as much as the Russian Armed Forces do now. And he expressed thanks to all his fighters who are occupying their positions and have the courage to fight off Russian aggression.

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, requested supporting and allied countries to speed up their arms deliveries after the President of Ukraine cautioned about the coming tough weeks of brutal conflict. On Tuesday, Kuleba said that it’s premature to conclude that Kyiv forces already have all the weapons needed for defending its land and people against Putin’s all-out invasion.

Too early to conclude that Ukraine already has all the arms it needs. Russian offensive in the Donbas is a ruthless battle, the largest one on European soil since WWII. I urge partners to speed up deliveries of weapons and ammunition, especially MLRS, long-range artillery, APCs.

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) May 24, 2022

At the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Alliance, said that Russia’s Putin had made ‘a big strategic mistake’ in attacking its neighboring Ukraine. And Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, blamed the Kremlin for trying to crush the aspirations of the whole country with tanks.