War in Ukraine, 56: “Putin calls for emergency attack to achieve his goals by May 9”

The second phase of the war began today, Tuesday. Russian troops began the war for the Donbass, with heavy airstrikes on the front lines, from Izyum in northeastern Ukraine through the Black Sea to Mykolaiv in the south. After 56 days of fighting on Ukrainian soil, invading troops continue to try to capture Vladimir Putin’s strategic southern port city of Mariupol.

Right now, Russian forces have two main “major efforts”.: The Institute for War Research (ISW) in Mariupol and Donetsk and Luhansk, Donbass, in its daily assessment of Russian movements and counter-attacks in Ukraine. Released yesterday.

In Mariupol, ISW claims that the aim is to “capture the city and reduce the number of Ukrainian guards”, which is nothing new. The city was besieged by Russian forces for about two months and fell in a few days. The Kremlin has already issued several final warnings to the last defenders in Mariupol to end the “ignorant resistance”, but Ukrainian troops have refused to surrender and say they will “fight to the end”.

Pro-Moscow Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov predicted that the city would be “liberated” from Ukraine later this Wednesday. According to Khadiro, Russian troops will destroy Mariupol’s last bodyguards and take full control of the city’s last Ukrainian fortress, the Azovstel Steelworks.

The steel plant has become a major refuge for Ukrainian resistance: about 1,000 civilians and thousands of soldiers are being housed here. Bunkers And tunnels, but Russia is tightening the siege and launching serious attacks on the steel industry to force Ukrainian troops to surrender.

“Ukrainian forces continue to guard parts of the Azovstal campus in Mariupol, but Russian officials and the media are gathering in and around the city. Whether the fight continues or not may be in preparation for declaring victory in the coming days”, The War Research Institute expects.

Nevertheless, “Mariupol situation It is as serious as possible without any change, ”the Ukrainian president lamented on Tuesday. Volodymyr Zelensky warned, “The fate of tens of thousands of residents who were previously displaced by Russian-controlled territories is now unknown.” Mayor Mariupol issued the same warning: Vadim Poishenko denounced that Russia had already deported more than 40,000 Ukrainians from the city.

Putin wants to capture Donetsk and Luhansk on Victory Day

In the Donbas, the Great Depression has already begun in the Donetsk and Luhansk. But Russia has not taken the necessary suspension before entering a new phase of the war, the ISW argues. The pace of military operations indicates that. “Putin is calling for an immediate offensive to achieve his goals by May 9, the day of the victory.”. This is a landmark date for Moscow: 1945 marks the day of Russia’s victory over Nazi Germany. 11,000 soldiers have already been mobilized for the parade.

In Donetsk and Luhansk, the US-based think tank predicts “complete occupation of two territories in the Donbass claimed by Russia.” Warns that total success is “not very likely” In this area.

In the past 24 hours, heavy airstrikes have been carried out on the front lines of the Donbass between the Isium-Mykolive axis, which crosses eastern Ukraine from north to south. However, there were some offensive ground operations: Izyum, heading towards Avdiivka in Kreminna and Donetsk, checking the Institute for War Studies.

Only the progress of the Kremlin has made significant progress: the southern city of Donbass is already in Russian hands. “During this time, control of the Crimea was lost. Those who tried to leave the city were killed by the Russians,” said Sergei Kayte, governor of the Luhansk region.

The Kremlin’s main objective in the Donbass was to “liberate the republics completely, as announced from the beginning.” [autoproclamadas] Donetsk and Luhansk said, “Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday reiterated that this would be a very important moment for the whole special military operation.”

It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. Victoria, May 9. However, “the urgency of advancing Russian forces will compromise the success of their operations in Ukraine.”