A Russian convoy is heading in the direction of the Ukrainian city of Izyum, the Pentagon says, as Ukraine prepares for an anticipated offensive.
The US has stated it believes Russia is reinforcing and repositioning its troops in Ukraine’s jap area of Donbas, the place Ukrainian officers say Russian forces are making ready to launch a recent offensive.
In a information convention on Monday, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby stated a convoy of Russian autos had been noticed heading in the direction of the city of Izyum, about 180km (112 miles) north of the town of Donetsk.
However “it’s not clear to us what number of autos are on this convoy and what precisely they’re bringing”, Kirby informed reporters, including that it seemed to be a mixture of personnel-carrying autos in addition to armoured autos “and possibly some artillery”.
“They’re repositioning, they’re refocusing on the Donbas,” he stated.
A senior US defence official stated earlier on Monday that the US doesn't imagine a “new offensive” within the Donbas area has begun but, however that Russian forces “are working to strengthen their capabilities and so as to add to it”.
The feedback from officers in Washington come as Ukraine has stated it's making ready for a Russian offensive within the jap a part of the nation, after Moscow withdrew from areas across the capital, Kyiv.
Russia now says its important goal is the east, and it's demanding Ukraine cede management of swathes of territory there to separatist fighters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed Al Jazeera that Russia may launch one other offensive in opposition to Kyiv ought to it achieve management of the jap breakaway area.
“If our forces in Donbas received’t be capable of maintain their positions, then the chance of a repeated offensive in opposition to Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast [province] is nearly possible,” Zelenskyy stated in an unique interview.
Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from Kyiv, stated most Russian forces have been redirected from the Kyiv area in the direction of Donbas.
“All of the indications present that they're making preparations to begin to provoke a brand new, big assault on this area,” Serdar stated. “Because the Russian forces are amassing there, issues are rising in cities like Mariupol, which is besieged from all instructions.”
Zelenskyy stated on Monday that tens of 1000's of individuals had been killed in Mariupol since Russian forces first lay siege to the Ukrainian port metropolis weeks in the past. Al Jazeera couldn't independently confirm that determine.
In his feedback to reporters, Kirby on the Pentagon stated he additionally couldn't verify that estimate as the town is “nonetheless being fought over”.
“However if you happen to simply take a look at the imagery, and also you see how a lot the Russians have pounded Mariupol from the air, it’s inconceivable to think about that there aren’t going to be civilian casualties, and that it might be a major quantity,” he stated.
Kirby additionally underscored that the Ukrainian navy has been combating Moscow-backed separatists within the Donbas area since 2014.
“The Ukrainians have been for eight years – and nonetheless are – combating over that,” he stated. “And so they present no indicators of being prepared to offer that territory up.”
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