According to reports, Ukrainian forces are surrounded by Russian troops in Lyman, an eastern city. This is just a day after President Vladimir Putin claimed the region as Russia’s.
According to reports, Lyman is being surrounded by 5,000 Russian troops as Kyiv’s forces try to recapture the strategic railway hub in Ukraine’s east. This comes just a day after Vladimir Putin declared that he had annexed the area.
According to Luhansk Governor Serhiy Hadidai, the Moscow-backed forces cannot leave the town except “trying escape, die or surrender”. He said that Ukraine’s army could push east towards Kreminna if Lyman is freed. A military spokesperson said that five settlements nearby were liberated Saturday.
“Ukraine is about capturing Lyman and it shows itself military prowess once again by humiliating Russia’s army,” Mick Ryan (a retired Australian general and defense analyst) said via Twitter.
Putin claimed that Moscow annexed four occupied Ukrainian areas ” forever”. He also repeated his warnings that he would use every means possible to defend the territories. The move was condemned by the US and European Union members. The US sanctioned hundreds, including Elvira Novak, the head of Russia’s central bank, and Alexander Novak (Deputy Prime Minister), who were key figures in Russian relations with OPEC. Nabiullina was also sanctioned by the UK.
On Saturday, Ukraine’s nuclear power provider claimed that Russian troops had detained the head of Zaporizhzhia’s nuclear plant. Kyiv asked for security assistance from the international community.
The Ground
According to the military general staff of Ukraine, Russian troops are planning attacks on Ukrainian-held areas in the east and south.
This includes civilian housing and infrastructure. In dozens of settlements, Moscow’s forces have launched a missile, air, and artillery attacks against civilian and military targets over the last 24 hours.
According to the statement, Ukrainian forces attacked Russian military logistical and weapons sites. A former commander of separatist forces within the Donbas, Igor Girkin, stated late Friday that Russian forces in Lyman in the Donetsk area are completely surrounded.
He called military commanders “idiocy” for allowing this to happen. Interfax-Ukraine reported that a power station in Odesa and many Mykolaiv residences were hit with C-300 and “Iskander” rockets on Saturday morning.
Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of Defense, says that he has not seen any indication that Putin has decided to use nuclear weapons in the war against Ukraine.
According to excerpts from CNN, Austin spoke to Fareed Zakaria of CNN, reiterating the US’s condemnation of Russian threats of using nuclear weapons. The interview will air Sunday.
He stated that Putin will make the decision and that there are no checks on Putin’s presidency. However, he said that he hasn’t seen any evidence that would support the belief that the Russian president has made a decision to use nuclear weapons.
