The war in Ukraine is also a war of communication and disinformation. The two armies that clash on the ground do not make the same observation on the progress of the fighting in the city of Severodonetsk: when Moscow claims to have “totally liberated” the residential areas, kyiv ensures success in repelling the assault. Moreover, the two countries mutually accuse each other of destroying Ukraine’s grain resources, and thus largely participating in the aggravation of the world food crisis.
On this subject, a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart, Mevlüt Cavusoglu is scheduled for Wednesday 8 June, in Ankara (Turkey), to try to create secure maritime corridors for the export of cereals by the black Sea.
- The fierce fighting for Severodonetsk
Intense fighting continues this Wednesday in Severodonetsk. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky boasts of the “heroic” defense of this key city in Donbass, in the east of the country, the Russians claim to have “totally liberated” the residential areas. “The takeover of its industrial zone and neighboring localities continues,” said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Tuesday in a rare televised briefing.
This inventory is contested by kyiv. “Our soldiers managed to repel the assault in the city of Severodonetsk,” assured the Ukrainian general staff on Wednesday morning, adding that Russia is also intensifying its operations in Bakhmout, in the Donetsk region.
“It is very difficult to hold Severodonetsk”, however recognized the day before Serguiï Gaïdaï, the governor of the region of Lugansk, which, with that of Donetsk, forms the Donbass. He even speaks of “mission impossible”. “All forces, all reserves have been mobilized by the enemy, the Russian army, to cut off the main Lysychansk-Bakhmut road in order to take Severodonetsk. They are shelling Lysychansk very violently,” the governor said.
- “Vital need for heavy weapons”
The cities of Severodonetsk and Lyssytchansk, separated by a river, constitute the last agglomeration still under Ukrainian control in the Lugansk region. Their capture would open the road to Kramatorsk, a large city in the Donetsk region, to the Russians.
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky assured in his daily video address on Tuesday evening that “the situation on the front has not changed significantly in the past 24 hours” and that “the absolutely heroic defense of Donbass continues” .
But for that, the Ukrainian soldiers have “a vital need for heavy weapons which can counter the enemy artillery”, asked Mr. Gaïdaï, claiming “Western artillery”.
kyiv is already claiming to have inflicted a heavy toll on its invader. “More than 31,000 Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine,” Zelensky said. “Since February 24, Russia has been paying for this completely senseless war almost 300 lives of its soldiers every day. But there will be a day when even for Russia the number of casualties will become unacceptable,” he said. added.
No record is verifiable. However, the death of a Russian general, Roman Kutuzov, was confirmed on Tuesday by the leader of the pro-Russian separatists Denis Pushilin. Several Russian generals have lost their lives since February, but Moscow rarely communicates on its losses.
- Communication battle around cereals
The two belligerents accuse each other of destroying cereal resources and thus aggravating the world food crisis. “Those who claim to be worried about the global food crisis are actually hitting agricultural fields and infrastructure, where fires are breaking out on an impressive scale,” the Ukrainian Operational Command for the Southern Front denounced on Tuesday evening, referring in particular to strikes. around Mykolayev.
At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defense assured that the Ukrainian forces “purposely set fire to a large grain depot” in the port of Mariupol. “More than 50,000 tons of cereals have thus been destroyed,” assured General Mikhail Mizintsev, accusing the kyiv regime of “food terrorism against its own people”.
The creation of secure maritime corridors for the export of grain via the Black Sea will be at the heart of the discussions being held this Wednesday in Ankara between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Cavusoglu.
Mr. Lavrov, who arrived in Turkey yesterday, will discuss the possibility for Ukraine to export its crops blocked in its ports. A blockage that is driving up prices and raising the threat of famine in some African and Middle Eastern countries.
At the request of the UN, Turkey has offered its help to escort maritime convoys from Ukrainian ports, despite the presence of mines, some of which have been detected near the Turkish coast.
The Ukrainian press assured that “the United Nations and Ukraine” would be associated with the discussions on Wednesday, but the Ukrainian embassy in Ankara denied any contact between Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar and Mr. Lavrov.
- War Crimes Directory
Tuesday evening, Volodymyr Zelensky also announced the publication next week of a “Book of executioners”. This database will compile information on war crimes and Russian soldiers accused of committing them.
The Ukrainian head of state promises that the people who gave the orders will also be cited. “I have repeatedly stressed that they will all be held accountable. And we are going there step by step,” said the Ukrainian president. “Everyone will be brought to justice,” he promised again.
At the end of May, the Ukrainian justice system claimed to have identified “a few thousand” cases of alleged war crimes in the Donbass.