Russia’s major new spring offensive in Ukraine has already begun, Nato warns | CPT PPP Coverage

Cryptopolytech (CPT) Public Press Pass (PPP)
News of the Day COVERAGE

200000048 – World Newser
•| #World |•| #Online |•| #Media |•| #Outlet |

View more Headlines & Breaking News here, as covered by cryptopolytech.com

Russia has launched a long-expected major offensive in Ukraine, the leader of Nato said on Monday.

Secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said Moscow’s latest push for territory had already begun as the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion approached, bringing an end to weeks of speculation over when President Vladimir Putin would pounce.

“We see no sign whatsoever that President Putin is preparing for peace,” Mr Stoltenberg told a press conference in Brussels ahead of a two-day meeting of Nato defence ministers starting on Tuesday.

Russia is still set on gaining control of Ukraine through force, he said, adding: “We see how they are sending more troops, more weapons, more capabilities.”

Earlier on Monday, the Kremlin’s defence ministry said its troops had pushed forward two kilometres west along the frontlines, without specifying exactly where in a war zone that encompasses several regions in Ukraine’s south and east.

The Ukrainian military reported Russian shelling all along the frontline and said 16 settlements had been bombarded near Bakhmut, a key target city in the eastern Donetsk region. It said that over the past day, Ukraine’s forces had repelled a number of attacks near Bakhmut as well as assaults in Kharkiv, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Satellite images released by private space technology company Maxar showed intense fighting in the Vuhledar area of Donetsk between 8 and 10 February.

Ukrainian troops, who have already held out in Bakhmut against Russia for months, were braced for new ground attacks, Kyiv military officials said.

Positions in the city have been fortified and only people with a military role were being allowed in, a deputy battalion commander said. Any civilians who still wanted to leave the city would have to brave the incoming fire, he said.

Bakhmut is a prime objective for Mr Putin and its capture would give Russia a new foothold in the Donetsk region and a rare victory after several months of setbacks. Donetsk and Luhansk regions make up the Donbas, Ukraine‘s industrial heartland. Russia partially occupies it and wants to win full control.

Ukraine said it was ready to defend from Russia’s latest push but has been urging Western allies to quickly reinforce its frontline forces with fighter jets and long-range missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky spent two days last week touring Europe to take his appeal to various national leaders directly, drawing positive movements towards the supply of jets despite allies’ reservations.

Mr Stoltenberg said he expected Nato defence ministers to consider the plea for aircraft at this week’s summit.

“There is now a discussion going on also on the question of aircrafts and I expect that also to be addressed tomorrow at the meeting in Brussels”, he said, adding that Ukraine needs urgent support on the ground. Mr Stoltenberg also stressed that supplying fighter jets to Ukraine would not make Nato part of the conflict, after Russian warnings

Additional reporting by Reuters