The Russian President, Vladimir Putin has on Monday put more pressure on his Russian troops to press their offensive deeper into the Donbas region which is situated in eastern Ukraine after Moscow’s forces seized the strategic city of Lysychansk.
With the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia now well into its fifth month after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, most of the World governments and organisations have gathered for a conference in Switzerland where they have planned launch a plan to rebuild the country even as the conflict shows no sign of abating.
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The loss of Lysychansk over the weekend had also prompted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to step up some new strategies for an increased supply of weapons from the West so Kyiv can keep up the resistance and regain some of its already lost territories.
After giving up on its initial war aim of capturing Kyiv following tough Ukrainian resistance, Russia has also focused its efforts on securing control of the Donetsk and Lugansk areas which make up the Donbas region.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin at a meeting that Moscow’s forces were now in full control of the Lugansk region.
In a sign there would be no let-up in the fighting and that Russia now had its eyes on the entire Donetsk region, Putin told Shoigu that troops stationed there must continue their operations.
“Military units, including the East group and the West group, must carry out their tasks according to previously approved plans,” Putin said.
“I hope that everything will continue in their direction as has happened in Lugansk so far.”
The Ukrainian army said on Sunday it was retreating from Lysychansk to preserve the lives of its troops after finding itself outnumbered and outgunned by Russian forces there.