Russia launches “Battle of Donetsk” … after Lugansk

Russian forces intensified their advance towards Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, the two largest cities close to Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, yesterday (Tuesday), in what appeared to be a launch of the “Battle of Donetsk”, a day after Russia tightened control over the entire Lugansk region.

After the fall of vital Lyschansk, the last stronghold of Kyiv in Lugansk, Russian forces are now trying to advance westward to seize the rest of the industrial basin, parts of which have been controlled by Russian separatists since 2014. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to “accomplish their mission” in eastern the country in implementation of the approved plans.

Russian forces targeted Sloviansk with “massive” bombing, according to the city’s mayor. Vadim Lyakh wrote on Facebook: “Slovyansk! Massive bombing of the city. In the center and the north. Everyone should take cover.” In a preview of what might happen after the Russians seize Lugansk, the governor of neighboring Donetsk, Pavlo Kirilenko, said his area was bombed overnight. “Sloviansk and Kramatorsk were bombed,” he added. They are now also the main line of attack of the enemy from the direction of Lyman … There is no safe place without bombing in the Donetsk region ».

In a related context, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) began yesterday the process of ratifying the accession of Sweden and Finland by its member states, to be able to organize a unified defense line extending from the North Pole to the Mediterranean, facing Russia. “I am counting on allies to carry out a speedy validation process,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said during a ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels yesterday. “The process last time (with North Macedonia) took 12 months,” Stoltenberg added, during a press conference with the Swedish and Finnish foreign ministers, Anne Linde and Pekka Haavisto.

Estonia’s Prime Minister, Kaia Kallas, announced that her country will begin the ratification process today (Wednesday). Turkey agreed to launch this process during the summit of NATO leaders in Madrid, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reminded the two northern countries of the conditions that must be met.