UK Defence Ministry claims Russia deployed 22 battalion tactical groups near Izium

In a key development pertaining to the ongoing war in Eastern Europe, Russia on Wednesday positioned 22 battalion tactical units near Izium, Ukraine's eastern metropolis, in an attempt to advance along the Donbass region's northern axis, Britain warned on May 4. According to a Twitter post, British military intelligence believes Russia intends to go beyond Izium and conquer the cities of Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk. The British Defence Ministry went on to say that capturing these locations would solidify Russian military control of the north-eastern Donbass and serve as a staging point for their efforts to cut off Ukrainian forces in the region.

Meanwhile, the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol entered its fourth day, according to officials, even as Russian forces stormed the steel plant, which Ukrainian defenders claim is the last pocket of resistance in Mariupol. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 156 people have been rescued in the last 24 hours and have arrived in Zaporizhzhia after being in shelters for more than two months.

Russia-Ukraine War

The Russian-Ukraine war has now entered its 70th day, wreaking havoc on Ukraine's daily life and infrastructure. According to the US, the conflict in has exacerbated difficulties created by the coronavirus epidemic in the Western Hemisphere, such as increased poverty. Meanwhile, in a phone chat with his Russian counterpart Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron emphasised the gravity of the repercussions.

Belarus' Armed Forces launched surprise army drills on Wednesday to assess its forces' "combat readiness" in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The testing will see a large number of military vehicles moving around. Belarus has remained a staunch Russian supporter. Although Georgia did not directly participate in the conflict against Ukraine, it aided Russia by sheltering 30,000 Russian troops prior to the invasion, according to the BBC.

The commander of the Ukrainian Joint Forces, Lieutenant-General Serhiy Nayev, paid a visit to defending positions in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. According to UKrinform, Nayev stated that Ukrainian troops had been reinforced in risky locations. He described the situation in the territory where the fighting is taking place as "difficult," referring specifically to the Izium area in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, as well as Velyka Novosika. He claimed that Russian troops attempted to attack Ukrainian forces with battalion tactical groups every day.

(With agency inputs)

Image: AP