Maria Starkova, Pavel Polityuk

LVIV/KYIV – Ukraine claims Russia launched an anticipated new offensive to the east, with reports of explosions all along the frontlines and attacks in other areas.

Volodymyr Zeleskiy, Ukrainian President, said that Russia began the “Battle of Donbass in the East” on Monday. He also stated that a large section of Russia’s army was now focused on the offensive.

“We will fight no matter what number of Russian troops are sent to the area, regardless of how many they have. In a video address, he promised that he would defend himself.

Andriy Yarmak, Zelenskiy’s chief-of-staff, described it as “the second stage of the war” while reassuring Ukrainians that they could resist the offensive. He stated, “Believe it in our army. It is very powerful.”

Ukrainian media claimed that there was a string of strong explosions near the Donetsk area’s front line. There were also shelling in Marinka and Slavyansk. Local officials in Ukraine and the media reported that explosions could also be heard in Kharkiv, the northeastern part of Ukraine and Mykolaiv to the south. Zaporizhzhia was in the southeast.

Reuters couldn’t immediately verify the reports.

According to Ukrainian officials, four Ukrainians were killed by Russian shelling in Donetsk. Two people died in Kharkiv on Monday when shells struck near a residential property.

The first victims of the civilian attack by a Russian rocket were seven in Lviv. They are located about 60 km (40 mi) west of Poland.

Oleksiy Danielilov, Ukraine’s top security representative, claimed that Russian forces had attempted to breach Ukrainian defences, “along almost all of the front line between Donetsk-Luhansk regions and Kharkiv areas” Monday morning.

Moscow, repelled by the Ukrainian resistance to the north, has refocused its offensive in two eastern provinces, known as the Donbas. It also launched long-distance strike at Kyiv, a capital.

Russia’s destabilisation campaign against Ukraine has focused on Donbas. This began in 2014 with the Kremlin using proxies in order to establish two separatist “people’s Republics” within the ex-Soviet government. You can also find a lot of Ukraine’s industrial riches, such as coal and steel.

Russia’s defense ministry stated that the missiles had destroyed hundreds of targets in Ukraine over night. According to the defense ministry, 16 facilities were destroyed by air-launched rockets in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions, Donetsk, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk ports, as well as in Mykolayiv port, both of which are located in east and south Ukraine.

In addition, the Russian air force launched strikes on 108 Ukrainian areas and Russian artillery landed 315 Ukrainian military bases.

BIDEN TO HOST A CALL WITH ALLIES

Western capitals and Kyiv have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin unprovoked aggression. The White House stated that U.S. President Joe Biden will hold a conference call on Tuesday with his allies to address the Ukraine crisis and how we can coordinate efforts to hold Russia responsible.

On Monday, the United Nations reported that civilian deaths in war have surpassed 2000. It reached 2,072 by midnight on April 17, after the Russian invasion began on February 24.

Around 4 million Ukrainians fled their country.

Russia claims that it did not target civilians during its special operation to demilitarize Ukraine and eliminate dangerous nationalists. According to Kyiv, there is no evidence that Russia has committed atrocities. It claims Ukraine orchestrated them in an effort to end peace talks.

Biden last week announced $800 million more in military aid for Ukraine. This was in addition to the existing assistance that includes heavy artillery in preparation of an expected Russian invasion in the east.

According to a top U.S. defense official, the U.S. military plans to begin training Ukrainians howitzer-using soldiers in the coming days.

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, stated that his talks with Putin were stalled following mass murders in Ukraine.

“HELL ON THE EARTH”

Russia is trying to retake Mariupol in its southeastern region. The city has been under siege for several weeks. This would make Russia a strategic power, as it links the Crimea with territory that Moscow annexed last year.

Major Serhiy Volyna (commander of Ukraine’s 36th maritime brigade) in Mariupol appealed to Pope Francis. She stated that children and women were being held captive by the fighters at the steelworks.

“This is what hell looks like on earth … It’s time (for) help not just by prayers. According to excerpts tweet by the Vatican Ambassador, Ukraine’s ambassador, Save Our Lives from Satanic Hands

According to the council, at least 1000 civilians had been hiding underground under the massive Azovstal steel mill.

The steelworks contain a variety of buildings, blast furnaces, and railroad tracks. Audio and video footage recorded explosions.

Azovstal, the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold at Mariupol is called Azovstal. It is defended by Ukrainian marines and motorised brigades. The Azov Regiment was a militia that far-right nationalists created. Later, it was incorporated into National Guard.

A Ukrainian minister stated Monday that Russia has invaded Ukraine and damaged or destroyed 30% of its infrastructure, at a cost totaling $100 billion.