Russian forces have launched an offensive spanning over a 300-mile front in its long-anticipated attack on eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said Monday.
Russian forces completely retreated from central Kyiv in early April. That, in addition to other intelligence, led many western leaders to believe Russian President Vladimir Putin was refocusing his offensive into the Donbas region.
Before the invasion, portions of Donbas had been controlled by Russian-backed forces. Putin signed decrees recognizing the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, both part of Donbas, and ordered military action there just before Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military penetrated two areas of eastern Ukraine Monday, including the town of Kreminna, a Ukrainian official said.
Luhansk regional military administrator Serhiy Haidai said on Ukrainian TV that Russians took control of the city after “leveling everything to the ground,” and that evacuations were impossible.
In recent days, Russia has reinforced its invading force in Ukraine, adding about 11 battalion tactical groups and as many as 11,000 troops, a senior U.S. Defense Department official said Monday.
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Latest developments:
►Russia’s targeted strikes of populated areas in Mariupol mirror its approach to Chechnya in 1999 and Syria in 2016, the UK Ministry of Defense said.
►The United Nations’ humanitarian chief said it seems “the time is not quite ripe yet” to establish a cease fire to get humanitarian aid into Ukraine.
Treasury secretary to meet with Ukraine PM, avoid Russia, during G-20
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she will meet with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal this week during G-20, the annual gathering of some of the world’s largest economies.
However, she’ll be trying to avoid most contact with Russian officials, echoing her comments from earlier this month. During a congressional hearing on April 6, Yellen said “I’ve made clear to my colleagues in Indonesia that we will not be participating in a number of meetings if the Russians are there.”
A senior Treasury official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said Russian finance officials are expected to attend several events virtually.
President Joe Biden has previously said Russia should be removed from the G20.
– Celina Tebor
