KYIV (Reuters – Ukraine’s defense ministry stated Wednesday that Russia is trying to intensify its offensive in eastern Ukraine.

Oleksandr Motuzyanyk, a spokesperson for the Defence Ministry, gave little information but stated that Moscow conducted almost 50 air strikes in the Tuesday night.

He said that Russian air and artillery strikes continued periodically at the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol, where last remaining Ukrainian defenders are located.

Motuzyanyk stated that Russia’s military command was trying to speed up its offensive operations in Eastern Ukraine.

According to him, Russian strategic bombers fired 18 rockets out of airspace over the Caspian Sea towards targets in Ukraine with the intent of causing damage to the country’s transportation infrastructure.

It was not possible to verify the ministry’s report on Ukraine’s military situation immediately.

Russian forces are using their most powerful firepower to attack Ukraine’s eastern and southern regions after they failed to seize Kyiv in the initial weeks of the conflict.

Motuzyanyk answered a question about the Azovstal steelworks. He said that Russians had attempted to storm it. Vadym Borichenko, Mariupol’s Mayor, said that fighting had continued Wednesday.

Dmitry Peskov (Kremlin spokesperson) said, “The supreme commander (Russian president Vladimir Putin), gave the order publicly to cancel (the storming of the plant). It is not storming.

We see that the number of fighters taking up firing posts is increasing. He said that these attempts were being stopped quickly and that there was nothing more to be done.