Russia escalates its shelling of regions other than Ukraine’s Donbas

Russia has increased its shelling against Ukraine’s eastern areas, officials of the Zaporizhzhia region and Sumy regions stated on Saturday.

Russia’s defense ministry claimed that a recent offensive placed its armies in better positions on the Zaporizhzhia frontline. This claim was dismissed by Ukrainian military officials as an exaggeration.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the battlefield reports.

Fighting has centered in Donbas since the Ukrainian offensive in August. It includes Donetsk, Luhansk, and Donetsk, most of which are controlled partly by Russia. Moscow claims that it annexed them.

Russia invaded its neighbor on February 24th, but it failed to take control of other areas in Ukraine’s eastern region. As President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and other Ukrainian officials stated that Moscow will likely launch a new offensive within the next few months, intensified shelling has occurred.

Officials and analysts believe that Russian attacks are designed to overwhelm Ukraine’s defenses and discourage Kyiv’s attempt at retaking the territory.

Oleksandr Starukh (governor of Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine), stated that the enemy had activated artillery firing to try and study our defense.

Russia attacked the area 166 times during the day, he stated. 113 of these attacks were directed at civilian areas and one person was killed. Russia claims it doesn’t target civilians.

Yevhen Yerin in Zaporizhzhia was a military spokesperson and said that Moscow had claimed recent advances. They have failed in all their efforts and they are now losing.

General Staff of the Ukrainian army stated that Russia is continuing its attack in Zaporizhzhia and using more aviation. According to the General Staff, 25 settlements were hit by Russian artillery on Saturday.

According to Telegram, Russian forces carried out 115 strikes against Sumy in Ukraine’s northeast.

Zhyvytsky stated that a 17-year-old was injured and several houses and infrastructure structures were damaged.

Oleh Zhdanov is a Kyiv-based military analyst who said that Russia was testing the increase in attacks on Sumy. Zhdanov stated in a video on social media that “This isn’t their first attempt,” and added that they were defeated.