It took a few weeks for the Russian army to attack.
Since the surprising announcement of their retreat to the east, on March 25, it had first to prepare for it, to get back on its feet, to redeploy its troops, to restock itself with living forces and weapons.
It is now done: the offensive of Russian troops against eastern Ukraine "has begun", said Monday evening the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, and the governor of the Lugansk region, Serguiï Gaïdaï.
" It's hell.
The offensive has begun, the one we have been talking about for weeks, ”said Serguiï Gaïdaï on Facebook.
“There is fighting in Rubizhne and Popasna, incessant fighting in other peaceful towns,” he said, shortly after announcing on Telegram the death of four civilians in Kreminna, a town taken by the Russians on Monday. .
In the process, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also announced the start of the Russian offensive against eastern Ukraine, part of which is in the hands of pro-Russian separatists and where deadly fighting has intensified.
"A very large part" of the Russian army devoted to this offensive
“Now we can say that Russian troops have started the battle for Donbass, for which they have been preparing for a long time.
A very large part of the entire Russian army is now devoted to this offensive,” he said in a speech broadcast on Telegram.
Already on Sunday evening, the Ukrainian president hammered home in a video message that Russian soldiers were preparing for “a powerful offensive in the east of our country in the near future.
They literally want to complete and destroy the Donbass”.
"Sabotage the occupiers' orders."
Do not cooperate with them (…) You must hold firm,” he added, before repeating, this time to Westerners, that “the need for an embargo on oil deliveries from Russia imposes itself more every day”.
At least eight civilians were killed Monday by Russian fire and strikes, according to regional authorities.
Four people died in Kreminna, a small town in the Lugansk region that fell to the Russians on Monday.
And four others in the neighboring region of Donetsk, according to the Ukrainian governor of this region, Pavlo Kyrylenko.
“Two in Torske, one in Chandrigalove and one in Razdolne.
Five other people were injured, ”said Serguiï Gaïdaï on Telegram.