Ukraine fears repeat of Mariupol in Donbas

Luhansk, May 28: As Moscow continues its offensive in Ukraine's Donbas, officials fear that the region will suffer a similar fate as Mariupol - a port city in the war-torn country that fell to Russia after weeks of heavy fighting following the invasion.

 

 

 

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has entered the fourth month, with the fighting now focused on two key cities: Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk, the last areas under Ukrainian control in Luhansk- one of two provinces that make up the Donbas. Russia-backed separatists have already controlled some parts of the Donbas region for eight years.

 

 

 

In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “If the occupiers think that Lyman or Sievierodonetsk will be theirs, they are wrong. Donbas will be Ukrainian.’’ Comparing the conditions in Sievierodonetsk with the battle for Mariupol, mayor Oleksandr Striuk said: “The city is being systematically destroyed — 90% of the buildings in the city are damaged." The governor of the Luhansk region has predicted a victory for Ukraine in Sievierodonetsk but said its forces may have to retreat. “The Russians will not be able to capture the Luhansk region in the coming days, as analysts predict,'' Serhiy Haidai wrote on Telegram on Friday. “We will have enough forces and means to defend ourselves.’’ Russia-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine have claimed control of Lyman, a town in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian officials are yet to confirm this. Ukraine’s foreign minister is pleading with Western nations to provide Kyiv with heavy weapons to enable it to push Russian forces back. “We need heavy weapons. The only position where Russia is better than us it’s the number of heavy weapons they have. Without artillery, without multiple launch rocket systems we won’t be able to push them back," Dmytro Kuleba said in a video.

 

 

Italian Premier Mario Draghi spoke with Zelesnkyy on Friday, assuring him of “the support of the Italian government in coordination with the European Union.″ Meanwhile, the Kremlin-backed leader of Russia’s southern province of Chechnya -- in a video -- warned that Poland could be next after Ukraine. Ramzan Kadyrov, who is famous for his bluster, said in the video he posted to his official Telegram page that Ukraine was “a done deal” and that “if an order is given after Ukraine, we’ll show you (Poland) what you’re made of in six seconds.” Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Ukraine should remove sea mines from areas near its ports to allow safe shipping.