Battle For Cities In The East Shows Putin Won’t Give Up Russia’s Gains

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The war on Ukraine has reached its 101st day and images of cities in ruins, people fleeing their homes and news of the embattled Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky pleading Ukraine’s western allies continue to flood people’s screens across the globe.

The battle now is fought in eastern and southeastern Ukraine, showing signs that Russian president Vladimir Putin is determined to see the return of Novorossiya – largely ignoring that the fighting in those regions have lost their biggest cities which were once major ports and key centers of global trade.

The Russian military’s Uragan multiple rocket launchers fire rockets at Ukrainian troops at an undisclosed location. (Image And Caption: Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Ukraine forces on Saturday confirmed that they have retaken 20% of the Russian-controlled or Russian-occupied territories in the Sievierodonetsk region. Sievierodonetsk is witnessing heavy fighting among both forces as Russian forces try to capture the city to slice off the Donetsk and Luhansk regions from Ukraine completely.

Ukrainian police have received around 50 complaints and opened 16 criminal investigations into allegations of sexual violence committed by Russian soldiers against civilians, Ukraine’s deputy interior minister said on Friday.#UkraineRussiaWar https://t.co/OuoKWIttdC

— News18.com (@news18dotcom) June 4, 2022

The city is also of strategic importance – along with neighboring Lysychansk – as they are still controlled by Kyiv and establishing control would mean that Ukraine would face a major loss as it would cut them off from the eastern and southeastern Ukraine’s major regions while allowing Kremlin to bring in reinforcements and prepare a new plan.

A new Zircon hypersonic cruise missile is launched by the frigate Admiral Gorshkov of the Russian navy from the Barents Sea. Russia's Defense Ministry said the Russian navy successfully launched a new hypersonic missile from the Barents Sea. The ministry said the recently developed Zircon hypersonic cruise missile had struck its target about 1,000 kilometers away. (Image And Caption: Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP) — A new Zircon hypersonic cruise missile is launched by the frigate Admiral Gorshkov of the Russian navy from the Barents Sea. Russia’s Defense Ministry said the Russian navy successfully launched a new hypersonic missile from the Barents Sea. The ministry said the recently developed Zircon hypersonic cruise missile had struck its target about 1,000 kilometers away. (Image And Caption: Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

This also means that Kramatorsk, another industrial center, would be in Russia’s crosshairs if Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk fall to Russia.

What Russia could also be seeking is to control fertilizer and chemical plants which export materials which meet global agricultural and industrial needs.

Photos show people diving to the floor of a Mariupol hospital as bombs fall around them; a mob of refugees, huddled under a bridge; the playfulness of a soldier, lightheartedly kicking a ball amid the carnage. https://t.co/pneSQ7gjHe pic.twitter.com/Rn5HnPZ2cJ

— The Associated Press (@AP) June 3, 2022

After 100 days, it is increasingly becoming clear that Vladimir Putin is walking back on his promise that he made on February 26 when he launched the ‘so-called’ military operation in Ukraine to ‘denazify’ the nation.

Now, Russia is refusing to let go of the regions it has captured, news agency Associated Press said in a report.

The report also pointed out that ruble is now an official currency in the southern Kherson region as Kherson remains under Russian control.

Local civilians gather to receive pure water distributed by Russian Emergency Situations Ministry in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine with the letter Z, which has become a symbol of the Russian military on a board of the truck. (Image and Caption: AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov) — Local civilians gather to receive pure water distributed by Russian Emergency Situations Ministry in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People’s Republic, eastern Ukraine with the letter Z, which has become a symbol of the Russian military on a board of the truck. (Image and Caption: AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov)

Russia-controlled parts of the Zaporizhzhia region are also issuing Russian passports, through their puppet administrations. The separatist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk have also expressed similar intentions.

This shows that Russia after failing to install a pro-Kremlin government in Kyivnot only changed their main objective but now will not give up military gains in order to save face in front of the pro-Putin groups in Moscow and elsewhere in Russia. Ukraine and its western allies know that Putin has to be stopped but after 101 days of war, the possibility of that happening is bleak as Russian forces are fighting to complete their latest objective – capture Sievierodonetsk.

(with inputs from Associated Press, The Guardian and Frontline)

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