7:10 AM: Week of rocket fire, night and day
Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of Donetsk, said that since Friday morning at least four civilians were killed in Sloviansk.
On Friday night, a rocket attack struck inhabited homes, killing a woman who was sitting in her garden. The attack also injured her husband. A neighbor confirmed the incident on Saturday.
Vadym Liakh (the mayor of the city) accused Russian forces using cluster munitions.
6:59 a.m . Heavy fighting in Lyssychansk as Belarus threatens Kyiv
Information from Lyssytchansk on Saturday was contradictory about Donbass, an area in eastern Ukraine that is largely Russian-speaking and partly under control by pro-Russian separatists. Moscow has ambitions to conquer this region.
"The fighting is raging (...) Fortunately the city isn't surrounded and under the control of Ukrainian army", stated the spokesperson for National Guard of Ukraine during the day on TV. . According to the TASS news agency the Moscow-backed separatists had previously stated that the city was "totally surrounded". Lyssychansk, the last major city to not have fallen into Russian hands within the Lugansk Region, one of two provinces in Donbass.
Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus, stated that Ukraine tried to strike military targets in Belarus "about three days ago" (or possibly more). He said, "Praise to God, our Pantsir Anti-Aircraft Systems have intercepted every missile fired by Ukrainian Forces," adding that this fuels speculation about a growing role of this Moscow ally in conflict with Ukraine. Half-threatening Kyiv.
6:47 a.m. Field information
- Lyssytchansk, the last major city of the Lugansk region under the control of the Ukrainian army has been the scene for intense fighting over several days. Saturday's events gave rise to different accounts about the current situation. The Russian army would then be able to advance on Sloviansk or Kramatorsk in order to capture Lyssytchansk. These are two large cities located in the Donbass industrial region, which Moscow seeks to conquer.
Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of Donetsk, said that at least four civilians were killed in Sloviansk and 12 others were injured since Friday morning. On Friday evening, a rocket attack struck inhabited homes.
Oleg Sinegoubov the regional governor, stated that Kharkiv was the second city in Ukraine and that the morning [...] was "particularly agitated". He said that missiles hit a neighborhood of the city but did not cause any injuries. According to the Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson, the Russian Air Force struck the Kharkiv tractor factory where Ukrainian troops and equipment were stored.
- It is not possible to give an overall estimate of civilian casualties of the conflict. According to Western security sources, 15,000-20,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since February 24, when the Russian offensive began. According to kyiv, Ukrainian forces are losing approximately 100 soldiers each day.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the UN High Commission for Refugees, more than six million Ukrainians have been internally displaced.
- Moreover, nearly 16 million Ukrainians are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
6:45 AM: Good morning everyone! This live will cover the situation in Ukraine on the 130th anniversary of the Russian invasion.
