Fall of Lysytchansk; Sloviansk pounded... What is the Russian army's advance in the Donbass region?

This Tuesday, July 5, the Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine is intensifying.

Fall of Lysytchansk; Sloviansk pounded... What is the Russian army's advance in the Donbass region?

This Tuesday, July 5, the Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine is intensifying. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Monday that his army continue fighting after he took Lugansk, one of two Donbass regions along with Donetsk. In an interview with Sergei Shoigu, his Minister of Defense, he stated that the Russian forces must "execute their missions according to plans already approved".

The fall of Lyssytchansk on Sunday marked the tipping point in the plan to take over Donbass. Since then, Russian forces attempted to take control of the industrial basin that had been partially controlled by pro-Russian separatists.

Lysychansk used to be the last stronghold of Kyiv's Lugansk region. Moscow claims it has control of it, but the Ukrainian presidency insists it still holds "a small portion" and promises that the fighting will continue at its administrative borders.

A torrent of fire fell in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday morning. Sloviansk in Donetsk was hit with "massive" shelling. Vadim Liakh (the mayor of the city, which was home to around 100,000 people) called for everyone to be safe on Facebook. Russian troops are also heading for Kramatorsk in Donetsk, another large Donetsk city still under Ukrainian control.

In the morning, the Russian army stated that it had attacked two command posts in Donetsk. According to the Ukrainian presidency, at least two civilians were killed in the attack on Donetsk by Russian shelling. Six others were injured.

The Russian forces claimed that they had also shelled four ammunition and artillery stores in Kharkiv (northeast), where Ukrainians stated Monday evening that they had repelled Russian attacks.

Moscow claimed that it had shot down "one Su-25 plane and three drones of Ukrainian forces operating in the Kherson area". However, these claims cannot be independently verified. According to local authorities, a Russian official with the powerful security services (FSB), took control of the administration in the region occupied by Russian forces Tuesday.

Lock the Donbass and move on. Negotiate to make territorial gains, divide the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin still has many cards to play, but he remains completely opaque about his intentions. Pierre Razoux (the academic director at the Mediterranean Foundation for Strategic Studies, FMES) summarizes his thoughts: "All options remain open."

Even if there are pockets of resistance, no one seems to be in a position to stop the Russians from securing Donbass. It is already held partly by pro-Russian separatists as of 2014. Pierre Grasser is an associate researcher at Sirice University's Sirice laboratory. He stated that Russia can take Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, and the surrounding areas. "With Sloviansk the Russian forces will try to find a population, for those who remained. It is quite friendly."

However, the Russian forces proved early in war that they couldn't afford to go too far. Their steamroller is very useful near their borders, logistics centers, and airbases. Pierre Razoux notes that the further they are from it, it is more difficult."

Pierre Razoux claims that Vladimir Putin could also target Kharkiv (the second city in the country, north-east), near the Russian border.

Volodymyr Zilensky knows the problem. The Ukrainian president declared Monday night that "we must destroy" the enemy. We have no other option."

He had previously spoken by videoconference earlier at the opening ceremony of an international conference held in Lugano (Switzerland) to prepare for reconstruction of the country. Kyiv estimates that it will cost 750 billion dollars. He stressed that this will be the "common task of all democratic worlds".

These "colossal resources" are needed by Ukraine to rebuild cities and infrastructures damaged by war and also "prepare schools for a new school year and prepare for winter", Volodymyr Zelensky, Monday evening, highlighted.

In Lugano, the declaration states that all signatories are "fully dedicated to supporting Ukraine on its journey". The document states that the recovery process must accelerate, deepen, broaden, and realize Ukraine's reform efforts, resilience, in accordance with Ukraine's European Path.