Russia’s military operation in Ukraine entered its 87th day on Saturday, and after Russian full control of the Azofestal plant in Mariupol, Russian artillery bombarded the Donbas region in the north.
Russia has concentrated its military efforts in the east and south of the country. In particular, Moscow is seeking full control of Donbass, which has been under the control of pro-Russian separatists since 2014.
The Pentagon, in turn, said the rapid loss of Russian drones was undermining the country’s reconnaissance capabilities, noting that the sanctions reflected Russia’s ability to produce more reconnaissance marches.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced on Facebook on Saturday morning that the Russian army was “continuing its attacks in the Eastern Operational Zone to exercise full control over the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and to maintain a temporary ground corridor.” “It has occupied Crimea.”
The last group of Ukrainian forces stationed in Azofestal surrendered and ended the siege for several weeks.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, about 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers who had been hiding in the factory for weeks left their posts and surrendered to Russian forces and pro-Russian separatists.
It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post.
After evacuating the factory, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine needed its heroes to survive and that work would continue to bring them home.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, has said that soldiers will be treated in accordance with relevant international law.
The Azov Battalion, whose members were among those evacuated from Azofestal, is Russia’s most common target, claiming to be fighting the Nazis in Ukraine. The battalion, made up of volunteers in 2014, is now a National Guard unit.
For its part, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement that the Geneva Convention obliges hostile parties to give them “full access” to prisoners of war “wherever they are held.”
The battle for control of Mariupol was marked by widespread Western accusations of war crimes.
According to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, Ukraine has launched more than 12,000 war crimes investigations since Russia began its invasion on February 24.
On Friday, Russian Sergeant Vadim Shishimarin, 21, confessed to killing an unarmed civilian at the start of a Russian operation as part of the first trial of a Russian soldier accused of war crimes since the beginning of the conflict. The verdict in this case is scheduled for Monday.
The young soldier expressed “deep regret”, but his lawyer in his final lawsuit declared him “innocent” of premeditated murder.
For his part, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stressed that the occupation of the Luhansk region, which together with Donetsk constitutes the Donbas region, is “nearing completion.”
At least eight people, including a child, were injured in a Russian rocket attack on a recently renovated cultural center east of Lasova, Ukrainian officials said.
And Russian attacks on Thursday left 12 dead and 40 wounded in Severodonetsk in the Lugansk region (east).
Severodonetsk and Lysichansk are the last pockets of the Ukrainian resistance in the Luhansk region.
The Russians are now besieging the two areas, which are separated by a river, and are constantly bombarding them to crush the resistance and prevent reinforcements from entering.
With talks mediated by Turkey a few weeks ago stalled, Italy announced on Friday that it had proposed an “international facilitation group, including international organizations such as the United Nations, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe”. Is. in Europe.”
Source: Lebanon Debate
