As “Battle of the Donbas” Begins, Russia Launches 1,200+ Strikes Across Ukraine; 7 Killed in Lviv
Ukraine’s president says Russia has started a major offensive to seize the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine while launching missiles at targets across the country. We go outside of Kyiv to get an update from Peter Zalmayev, director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative. Facing a stronger resistance from Ukrainian defenses than anticipated, Russian President Vladimir Putin is practicing “scorched-earth tactics” and “venting his anger on Ukraine,” says Zalmayev. “His goal remains controlling all of Ukraine, or at least making it a failed state.”
Ukrainian civilians in massive mariupol steel plant? What they are doing there? Interesting not a peep about civilians in steel factory until the ultimatum given by the Russians to Azov guys (3 month ago were nazis, now are fighters for democratie lol) hiding in a steel plant go to the waste, namely Kiev rejected surrender.
The Russians have twice made an offer of a ceasefire for anyone in Azovstal To leave/ surrender. If there are any civilians there, the Russians have allowed them safe passage to leave. Even if combatants want to stay, surely they would want the civilians to leave. But this hasn’t been the case.
Which then leaves me asking two questions.
One, why wouldn’t the civilians leave ? Are they choosing not to ? Are they being prevented from doing so by those who are defending Azovstal?
Two, are there actually any civilians there? If not, is this claim by the combatants being made to garner support for themselves?
'De ukrainized' isn't the term the Russians use, they say "denazified". It's certainly more target-specific than a Hitlerian approach. Russia is targeting other areas of Ukraine to prevent western-armed Ukrainian forces from interfering with the Donbas operation.
Events in Mariupol to-day may have changed Russian fortunes spectacularly, when the AzovStal ammunition depot exploded. An all-out attack tonight and tomorrow may eliminate all cogent Ukrainian resistance. That 'potemkin village' plan could be a reality.
But there's still an EUkrainian army to removed from the 'ramparts of Eastern Europe Europe". That will be the 'back-breaker' for Putin''s war.
Is there a chance you could get Peter Zalmayev or someone equally well informed to discuss the extent to which the Azov Battalion is influenced by neo-nazi sentiments? And also to give a solid number on how many neo-nazi/white supremacists are involved in the defense of the Donbas? The available information on this topic is all over the place and it’s hard to get a solid idea of what the truth is here. Thank you. I’m enjoying your channel’s coverage.
