Enlarge image
Destruction in Donetsk
Photo:
IMAGO/Valentin Sprinchak / IMAGO/ITAR-TASS
The Ukrainian army is coming under increasing pressure in the eastern region of Donetsk – but according to its own statements it has initially fended off all Russian advances.
Since conquering the neighboring region of Luhansk, the Russians have concentrated their attacks in Donbass on Donetsk, where they have so far conquered around 60 percent of the territory.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy therefore asked for new Western weapons - and at the same time thanked those who had already been delivered, which made successful counter-offensives possible.
In the past week, the Ukrainian army has achieved "strong results" in the destruction of Russian war logistics, Zelenskyj said in his video address on Sunday night.
"Any attack on the enemy's ammunition depots, on his command posts and on accumulations of Russian technology saves all of our lives, the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians," Zelenskyy said.
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russian offensives in the direction of the cities of Sloviansk, Bakhmut and Avdiivka were repelled.
Fierce fighting has been raging around Bakhmut in particular for days.
The small town is considered a cornerstone of the defense system surrounding the last Ukrainian-held metropolitan area in Donbass.
Should Bakhmut and other smaller towns fall, the way for Russia's troops would be largely free in the direction of the major cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
According to Russian sources, one of the members of the Russian occupation administration was killed in Cherson, southern Ukraine.
The deputy head of administration of the city of Nowa Kakhovka, Vitaly Gura, is said to have been attacked by unknown persons with a gun near his house.
The Russian state news agency Ria Novosti also reported Gura's death.
In Cherson in particular, there are repeated protests from the population against the occupying power.
Russian and pro-Russian media also report attacks.
Wheat production under pressure
Meanwhile, wheat production in Ukraine is under great pressure, although exports have resumed: This year, only around 20 million tons of wheat are expected to be harvested, about two-thirds of the yield in the previous year before the start of the Russian war of aggression, said Ukrainian Deputy Agriculture Minister Taras Wyssozkyj the newspapers of the Funke media group.
According to experts, the reason for the expected decline in the harvest is above all the drought this year.
But Wyssozkyj also reports on adverse conditions for the farmers, so far at least 20 have been killed by mines during their work.
In addition, despite increased world market prices, producer prices for wheat have fallen dramatically.
hba/dpa/Reuters
