Devendra Kumar
Russia’s relentless assault on Ukraine continues to wreak havoc on the eastern front, with fierce battles raging west of Avdiivka, a city that fell to Russian forces in February. Ukrainian forces are struggling to maintain control, with Russian troops making significant gains in certain areas. Ukrainian army chief Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi has warned of a worsening battlefield situation as his country waits for desperately needed arms from a massive US aid package to arrive.
The situation is particularly dire in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove directions, where fierce battles continue, with up to four Russian brigades engaged in these areas. Ukraine’s Defence Forces have been forced to make a tactical retreat from three villages, with Russian forces trying to develop an offensive west of Avdiivka and Marinka. The Ukrainian war effort is facing significant setbacks, with acute ammunition shortages hobbling its defense efforts. A Washington-based think tank has predicted that Russian forces will make significant tactical gains in the coming weeks, and have opportunities to push forward around Avdiivka and threaten nearby Chasiv Yar.
However, the think tank assessed that neither of these efforts by Moscow are likely to cause Kyiv’s defensive lines to collapse in the near term. In the meantime, the US is ramping up its support for Ukraine, with President Joe Biden promising that US weapons shipments will begin making their way into Ukraine within hours. The US aid package is expected to provide a much-needed boost to Ukraine’s military capabilities, helping to counter Russia’s aggressive actions.
Meanwhile, Russian drones struck the Ukrainian Black Sea city of Mykolaiv early on Sunday, setting a hotel ablaze and damaging infrastructure. Ukrainian officials reported that the drones seriously damaged a hotel and heat-generating infrastructure, sparking a fire that was later extinguished. There were no casualties. The strike targeted a shipyard where naval drones are assembled, as well as a hotel housing “English-speaking mercenaries” who have fought for Kyiv, according to Russia’s state agency RIA.
Russia has also claimed to have destroyed ammunition depots and military equipment housed at three airports across Ukraine, including assault drones stored at Kamyanka Airfield. In response to the ongoing conflict, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced plans for an inaugural Peace Summit in June, which will bring together representatives from around the world to discuss the situation in Ukraine and the need for peace. The summit aims to provide a platform for global leaders to come together and work towards a resolution to the conflict, which is expected to continue to unfold in the coming weeks and months.