UK says Russia continues to attack Ukraine's infrastructure with long-range missiles

Amid the escalating war between Russia and Ukraine, the UK Defence Ministry has released its latest assessment of the ground situation in the war-torn nation. The Defence Ministry said that Russian ground operations remain "tightly focused" in a small sector of Luhansk. The UK Defence intelligence has said that Russian armed forces continue to carry out long-range missile strikes over Ukrainian infrastructure. 

According to the British Defence Ministry, fighting between forces of Russia and Ukraine has intensified in Sieverodonetsk during 30-31 May. It further said that Russian forces have been moved closer to the town centre and have now "likely" captured over half of the town, including Chenchen fighters. The bridge link between Ukraine and Romania has become "critical" for Ukrainian ports after Russian forces have blocked the Ukrainian Black Sea ports. The latest intelligence update of the UK Defence Ministry comes as the war between Russia and Ukraine has continued for more than 90 days. 

"The strategically important bridge links Ukraine with Romania and with Ukraine’s ports on the Danube, which have become critical to Ukrainian exports after the blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports by Russia," the British Defence Ministry said in the statement. 

Zelenskyy calls situation in Donbass 'very difficult' 

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the situation in Donbass "very difficult." In his late-night video address on May 31, Zelenskyy stressed that Severodonetsk, Lysychansk and Kurakhove will remain at the epicentre of the confrontation. Ukrainian President accused Russian forces of conducting blind air bombing and called it "just madness." He said that Ukrainian armed forces have been able to rebuff the pressure of Russian troops in the Zaporizhzhia region and have achieved certain success in Kherson and advancement in Kharkiv. In his remarks, Zelenskyy welcomed the agreement of the European Union to the sixth package of sanctions. He stressed that they are looking forward to the removal of Sberbankfrom SWIFT and halting the broadcast of "Russian dissemination" channels in Europe. Zelenskyy underscored that refusal of European countries to use Russian oil and other fossil fuel will result in "Russia being on the sidelines of the modern economy." Ukraine has claimed that nearly 30,500 Russian troops have lost their lives since Russia began its offensive in Kyiv. 

Image: AP