Zelenskyy claims Russia preparing to launch fresh attacks on Kharkiv and Sloviansk

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed on June 21 that  Russian army is preparing a new offensive on  city of Kharkiv. While dressing an event on World Refugee Day about conditions created by Russian forces, he stated that war has displaced nearly 12 million Ukrainians, five million of whom h to flee  nation completely. After weeks of severe shelling, Russia withdrew from Kharkiv in mid-May.

"Now Russian army is trying to gar forces to attack Kharkiv again. We de-occupied this region. And y want to do it again, and we see it," Zelenskyy said in a virtual speech at ISPI Global Policy Forum in Italy.

With a population of around 500,000 people, Mykolaiv is frequently bombed, Ukrainian president claimed. Russian troops intend to seize and completely demolish Sloviansk, which h a population of 100,000 before conflict, Zelenskyy stated after mentioning or destroyed cities such as Mariupol and Severodonetsk.

Zelenskyy said on June 20 that two critical cities in eastern Ukraine are witnessing "most difficult" fighting, as Russian forces increased pressure and took territory along a front-line river. Toshkivka, a settlement on predominantly Ukrainian-held western bank of Siverskyi Donets river south of Severodonetsk, has been claimed by Moscow's separatist proxies as having been taken.

Russia Ukraine war

According to Zelenskyy, shelling in Kharkiv and Odesa has persisted, and Russia's attack in Donbass, where soldiers have concentrated ir formidable artillery might, has been "brutal." Ukrainians are defending Lysychansk, Severodonetsk, and this entire territory, which is toughest, Zelenskyy said in an evening dress, after predicting Moscow would expand strikes ahe of an EU summit anticipated to welcome Kyiv's application to join club.

According to governor, overnight, Russian soldiers shelled and damaged a school in viivka, Donetsk region. Furr, Russian military shelled eastern town of Lysychansk nonstop on Sunday night and Monday, but governor of Luhansk stated Monday night was rar quiet in comparison to previous two "heavy" nights. Across river in city of Severodonetsk, Serhiy Haidai reported: "fierce fighting" in industrial zone. According to him, all key infrastructure in city has been destroyed, and re is no centralised water, electricity, or gas.

Image: AP