Vladimir Putin exercises his muscles. During a meeting in Moscow with Duma officials, Vladimir Putin stated Thursday that if the West wants to defeat Russia, they should "let them try." This speech, one of the most vehement in recent weeks, was delivered by the Russian president. He challenged NATO to defeat Russia on the battlefield in Ukraine. The Americans and Europeans have increased arms deliveries to the Kyiv force.
> Watch Vladimir Putin's speech
In a long speech he said, "Everyone should be aware that we haven’t started serious things yet” in Ukraine. It was broadcast on television.
"But at the same time, peace negotiations are not something we refuse to accept." He added that those who refuse to negotiate should be aware of the fact that the longer they refuse, the more difficult it will be for us to negotiate with them."
The Ukrainian army has been slowing down the Russian advance in the Donbass basin for the past few weeks.
AFP journalists observed that a strike in Kramatorsk left a large crater between a building and a hotel. They also saw two cars set ablaze and the bodies of two people who had been injured or killed.
"Airstrike on the central Kramatorsk. "There are victims," Oleksandr Goncharenko, the city mayor, announced via Facebook. He asked residents to remain in shelters.
Pavlo Kyrylenko, regional governor of the region, stated that one person was killed and six were injured in this "deliberate attack against civilians". He also said that the figures were provisional and that "six" buildings had been damaged. I ask everyone to evacuate. He added.
In recent weeks, the Russians have made significant progress in the Donbass. Since their withdrawal from the area of kyiv at March 31st, their primary objective, they claim to have taken complete control of Lugansk, the one that forms the mining area.
Sergei Gaidai, the governor of the provincial, denied Thursday that the Russians had "still not reached the boundaries of the region". He accused them of forcibly enrolling residents in the cities of Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, from which the Ukrainian army was just removed.
Moscow is now attempting to seize Donetsk, the other province that Moscow-backed separatists control since 2014.
Pavlo Kyrylenko (the governor of Donetsk Province) reported that at least seven civilians were killed by rocket launchers and artillery in various localities on Wednesday.
After four and a quarter months of conflict, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, are now the next targets for Russian forces. Two people were killed when Russian rockets attacked and partially destroyed a central Sloviansk market.
Vadim Liakh, the Mayor of Sloviansk, stated Wednesday that the evacuation of the city was underway, as encouraged by local authorities.
According to the mayor of the city, 233,000 people remained in the city as of Wednesday. This is a significant increase from the 110,000 residents it had prior to the conflict. He said that 17 people were killed and 67 were injured since the beginning of hostilities.
Oleg Sinegubov, the local governor, stated that Russian shelling in Kharkiv killed three civilians, and injured five others.
The Russians are still bombing Mykolaiv in the south. Fighting is raging around Kherson, which they have occupied from the beginning of the war. However, they must face, according kyiv to counter-attacks by the Ukrainians.
