Battle for Donbas begins, Russian forces launch attack in east, says Zelenskyy
India Today
Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy said Russian forces launched a new offensive push along most of Ukraine's eastern flank on Monday, signalling the beginning of the 'Battle of Donbas.'
Russian forces launched a new offensive push along most of Ukraine's eastern flank on Monday and the "Battle of Donbas" has now begun, Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy and senior officials said.
Ukraine's army has been bracing for a new Russian assault on its eastern flank since Moscow withdrew its forces from near Kyiv and from Ukraine's north late last month in order to focus on an assault in the Ukrainian region of Donbas.
"We can now say that Russian forces have started the battle of the Donbas, for which they have long prepared," Zelenskyy said in a video address.
Ukraine Security Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said in televised comments: "They (Russian forces) began their attempt to start the active phase this morning.
READ: As Russia shifts focus from Kyiv, Ukraine fights on a new front outside Donbas | Ground Report
"This morning, along almost the entire front line of the (eastern) Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv regions, the occupiers attempted to break through our defences," he said.
Russia has been bulking up its forces in the east of Ukraine using troops that it pulled out of Ukraine's north and neighbouring Belarus, a close Russian ally.
