Russia Ukraine War Continues, Mariupol Is Captured by Russia: The “liberation” of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region is a “unconditional priority” for Moscow, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and other territories should decide their own fate. Russian shelling destroyed all critical infrastructure in Sievierodonetsk city, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who described the city’s capture as Russia’s “primary goal” right now.
Meanwhile, oil prices rose to two-month highs on Monday as traders awaited word from the European Union on a ban on Russian oil ahead of a meeting on a sixth package of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
As Russia asserted progress toward capturing the entirety of contested eastern Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin attempted to shake European resolve to sanction his country and continue supplying weapons that have aided Ukraine’s defence.
In other news, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Lyman, the second small town to fall this week, had been “completely liberated” by a joint force of Russian soldiers and Kremlin-backed separatists who have been fighting for eight years in Russia’s industrial Donbas region. Ukraine’s train system has transported weapons and citizens through Lyman, a key railway hub in the east. Control of it would also provide Russia’s military with another foothold in the region; it has bridges for troops and equipment to cross the Siverskiy Donets river, which has so far impeded the Russian advance into the Donbas.
Source:IE