Ukraine suspends consular services for men of military age living abroad, except for those returning to serve in the military
Russian forces have made significant progress in a narrow corridor in eastern Ukraine as Moscow’s offensive to seize territory before the arrival of Western military aid appears to be gaining momentum, The Guardian reports.
Footage released by Kremlin military bloggers shows Russian tricolor waving over the ruined village of Ocheretine. Russian troops reportedly entered the territory on Sunday, northwest of the town of Avdiivka, after advancing about 5 kilometers in 10 days.
It comes after Ukraine’s foreign ministry said it was suspending consular services for men of military age living abroad, except for those returning to Ukraine, in a move designed to boost conscription.
The Ukrainian army withdrew from Avdiivka in February and is trying to establish a new defensive line in settlements along the Durna River, but in recent weeks reinforced Russian units have been advancing, using air-launched glide bombs to pulverize Ukrainian bunkers.
Moscow’s Defense Ministry claims that Ukrainian troops fled Ocheretyne in small groups and under heavy fire. Video shows a destroyed administrative building with broken windows and debris-strewn streets. The civilians seemed to have left.
Taking it over means that Russia has managed to bypass the northern flank of Ukraine’s recently established front line, including minefields and trenches. The village – once home to 3,000 people and a local road and rail junction – sits at the intersection of a network of defense facilities.
The headquarters of the regional armed forces of Ukraine admitted that the situation is difficult. It says that the Russians use “a whole arsenal of weapons against our units,” including what are described as chemical weapons. They captured some buildings and took over the southern part of Ocheretine, the announcement said. He added that “most of the village” remains in Ukrainian hands and the situation is under control.
Russian forces are about 30km from Pokrovsk, the main garrison town in the area used for troop and equipment rotation, which appears to be the next operational Russian target. Vladimir Putin has ordered his soldiers to seize the administrative borders of the Donetsk region.
Farther north, a major Russian offensive was underway to capture the town of Chasov Yar. Ukraine’s Eastern Military Command said 20,000-25,000 enemy soldiers were trying to storm the hill town and surrounding areas. The Kremlin wants to take it by May 9, the date Russians mark the day the Soviet Union won World War II, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Russian fighter groups may not have an “indefinite time frame” to capitalize on their recent successes on the battlefield, the Institute for the Study of War said.
“The Russian military command is probably aware of the closing window before more Western aid arrives and is trying to secure offensive gains before the window closes,” he told a briefing on Monday.
Much-needed munitions delivered through a Czech-led initiative to Ukraine are due to arrive by the end of May or early June, and Joe Biden, the US president, is expected to sign a $61 billion aid package after it passes the Senate , meaning the Pentagon will likely deliver some supplies from European storage sites, such as 155mm artillery shells, within days.
But other weapons and systems will take weeks and months. In his last video address Zelensky said the new US weapons would help Kiev regain the initiative. He said Ukraine needed more Patriot air defense systems to “protect the skies” as well as advanced artillery and “long-range capability.” Zelensky welcomed an agreement for the Biden administration to deliver Atacms missiles, which have a range of 300 km, for the first time, the publication also writes.
Ukrainian soldiers on the front line complained that they were completely abandoned and forced to distribute ammunition. Russia is capable of firing at least six shells for every Ukrainian, they said, and Moscow also has more tanks and combat vehicles. The Russian army also has a larger number of infantry and often uses it in “meat grinder” attacks. At least 50,000 Russian soldiers were killed, according to a BBC study, writes “Guardian”, quoted by “Labor”.
