The Ukrainian army weakened the defense line which prevented the Russian advance towards the last urban bastions controlled by kyiv in Donetsk. Russia steps up winter offensive as peace talks stall. Ukraine withdrew its troops from the eastern town of Siversk after heavy fighting, the Ukrainian military announced on Tuesday (23/12), while Russian strikes killed three civilians and left thousands without power amid freezing winter temperatures.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the capture of Siversk almost two weeks ago, which was denied by kyiv. The town in the Donetsk region is of strategic importance because it is part of a defense line protecting the last major urban area in the Donbass region controlled by Ukrainian forces.
Ukraine’s General Staff reported Tuesday that fighting was still continuing in the Siversk region, but that Ukrainian troops were being withdrawn from the site “in order to preserve the lives of our soldiers and maintain the combat capability of the units.”
Before the Russian invasion began, Siversk had a population of just over 10,000. For a long time, the front line in the region was considered relatively stable, but recently the pressure from Russian troops has intensified.
‘Slow progress’ in peace talks
The fall of Siversk opens the opportunity for Russian troops to advance towards the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
In September 2022, Moscow declared that it had annexed Donbass – made up of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions – as well as the provinces of Kherson and Zaporizhia, and incorporated these regions into Russian territory, although it does not yet control the entire area.
The attacks also came two days after U.S.-brokered peace talks in Miami, where the two sides discussed details of Washington’s proposed plan to end the war.
But despite the efforts, there is still no sign of imminent progress in diplomatic negotiations.
Moscow reported “slow progress” in the negotiations, as kyiv and its allies in Europe seek to adjust the initial US proposal, which met many of the demands put forward by Russia.
Russian attacks kill at least three people in Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian attacks before Christmas showed the Kremlin had no intention of ending the invasion of Ukrainian territory, which began in February 2022.
Zelensky said at least three people had been killed in Ukraine by the latest wave of Russian missiles and drones. Among the victims was a 4-year-old child who died when a drone struck a residential building in Zhitomir, west of the capital kyiv.
According to Zelensky, Russia launched around 650 drones and more than three dozen missiles in these attacks. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted a large number of these projectiles, but some hit their target, he said.
He called the attacks “an extremely clear signal about Russia’s priorities” and noted that they occur in the run-up to Christmas, “when people just want to be with their families, at home and safe.”
Zelensky urged the international community to increase pressure on Moscow.
Moscow intensifies attacks in winter
In an apparent effort to increase pressure on Ukraine to accept Russian terms in negotiations to end the war, Moscow intensified its attacks during the winter months.
Russian attacks have once again focused primarily on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Authorities reported new power outages in several areas.
The situation for many Ukrainians has deteriorated due to freezing temperatures, with interruptions in electricity and heating supplies compounding existing difficulties.
CR (DPA, AFP)
About The Author
