Summary of the Events
Russian forces are putting everything they have in taking Severodonetsk, but Ukrainian forces held their positions. But the Russians are making gains in cutting off the Bakhmut-Severodonetsk highway that supplies the troops in Severodonetsk. Russian forces were able to breach the Svitlodarsk Defense Arc guarding an approach to Bakhmut. With Russia have twenty times the heavy weapons in the region compared to Ukraine, the next few weeks will be difficult for Ukraine to hold its defensive position.
Battle for the Donbas (Donetsk, Luhansk, Mariupol)
Target Severodonetsk – Russia has moved its few Terminator anti-tank weapons into the fight for Severodonetsk as evidence that the taking of the last Ukrainian held stronghold in Luhansk is their number one target. Shelling is almost constant on the city, and on Bakhmut, forty miles to the southwest, as it is the main supply hub for the forces defending Severodonetsk and Lysychansk.
Russia is working hard to cut off that supply line which they may achieve in the next few days. Russian forces have moved to the outskirts of the villages of Toshkivka and Kamyshevakha, and the town of Zolote, to get them within artillery range. The drive from Popasna is meant to cut off the Bakhmut-Severodonetsk highway and Russian forces again attempted to take Lypove but were repelled. And Russian forces are moving against Chernonyi Lyman further southwest from Bakhmut to stop any more supplies in reaching Bakhmut itself. Russian forces also smashed through the Ukrainian Svitlodarsk line defending the approach to Bakhmut taking Troitske and Myronivskyi on Sunday and finally Svitlodarsk on Tuesday.
Target Kramatorsk – Russian forces attempted to take Dovhenke but were repulsed. But they were able to reach the outskirts of Lyman. Russian forces fired cluster bombs against the civilians of Slovyansk.
Expansion from Donetsk – There has been a noticeable reduction in attacks on Avdiivka and Marinka as Russia is shifting their focus on taking Severodonetsk.
Battle for Kherson
Russian forces are digging in along the main highway between Mykolaiv and Kherson. Russian forces are shifting more and more to the defense to keep control of Kherson for a final peace deal with Ukraine. Kherson is needed for a land bridge to Crimea.
Battle for Kharkiv
Russian forces attempted to regain control of Ternova but were not successful, they retreated
to their original positions.
Other Ukraine Regions
Chernihiv – Russian forces shelled the border area near Senkivka on Sunday. There were no losses.
Dnipropetrovsk – Russian launched missile strikes in the region, but most missiles fell into the Samara River. But three attacks were made against the two villages of Marianske and Apostolivska. No one was killed or injured. Russia launched two more attacks against the two villages on Monday with Uragan rockets but struck between them causing no injuries. On Tuesday another Russian missile fell on a field near Pavlohrad.
Kirovohrad – Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian missile over the village of Hannivka.
Mykolaiv – Russia fired cluster bombs on residential targets on Sunday. Nine civilians were injured.
Sumy – Russian forces fired artillery and mortars against the border village of Krasnopillya setting a farmhouse on fire on Monday. There were no injuries. Then on Tuesday the fired mortars against Ukrainian troops in Boiaro-Lezhachi again causing no injuries.
Zaporizhia – Ukrainian partisans blew up some train track lines in Melitopol slowing down the resupply of Russian troops. Partisans also assisted Ukrainian forces destroy several artillery positions near the front lines. Russian missiles fell on residents on a village near Vilniansk resulting in several deaths.
Zhytomyr – Four Russian missiles were shot down over the region on Sunday. One missile hit near Malyn killing one person. On Monday two missiles were fired against the train station in Korosten. One was shot down but the other hit damaging railway infrastructure. There were no injuries.
Other News
French President Emmanuel Macron has voiced his opposition to Ukraine gaining a fast-track to membership in the EU suggesting it will take a decade to achieve this status. Macron suggested that an association status could be created for those in the process of joining, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected that idea stating that Ukraine will not agree to becoming second-class citizens within the EU.
Russia claimed to have destroyed a large cache of Western weapons in a missile strike on Saturday in Malyn, Zhytomyr region. Ukraine remained silent and made no comment on the strike beyond admitting that three missiles hit near Malyn.
Russia cut off gas supplies to Finland after Finland refused to purchase the fuel in rubles. Finland already prepared for the move by connecting with nearby Estonia to cover the shortfall.
On Saturday, Russia released a list of 963 American citizens that have been sanctioned by Russia and will never be allowed to enter Russian territory. President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris were honored to appear on the list. Deceased Senators John McCain and Orrin Hatch also made the list, but they are unlikely to visit Moscow anyway.
Russian soldier Vadim Shyshymarin became the first person convicted of war crimes after executing an unarmed 62-year-old Ukrainian man who was walking home talking on his phone. He was sentenced to life in prison.
President Joe Biden said that Russian sanctions must be kept in place even if Ukraine wins the war against Russia as a warning to China that any attack on Taiwan would cost them dearly.
Russia introduced its ruble as the legal currency to the communities in the Kherson region it has occupied.
Martial law was extended in Ukraine until the end of the summer.
International Support
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa visited Ukraine last Saturday to express his support for Ukraine.
Polish President Andrzej Duda became the first head of state to address the Ukrainian Rada (legislature) since the Russian invasion on February 24. He arrived in Kyiv on Sunday and that afternoon he delivered a speech affirming Poland’s support of Ukraine. During his address, two Russian missiles flew over Kyiv. One was shot down and the other hit somewhere in the Zhytomyr region.
President Zelensky addressed the exclusive Davos summit where twenty countries pledged to increase their military and economic support of Ukraine.
Starbucks has shut down its business in Russia. It had suspended its business, but like McDonalds, decided to sell all its assets with no intention of returning.