The TimesIt was just a few hours after Kateryna had given birth to her first child when the boom of anti-aircraft guns and the distinctive buzzing of Russian attack drones filled the night air in Sloviansk a city in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region As explosions echoed outside the maternity ward the reality of modern warfare casting a sudden shadow over her obvious joy at motherhood “I was trying to calm her tummy while our guys were shooting down drones,” she said But she confessed to experiencing a new kind of fear that night Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker According to Ukrinform, this was reported on Facebook by Vadym Liakh “The night of Sunday, May 4, in Sloviansk was turbulent again. Massive enemy shelling, 6 Geranium-2 UAVs All the hits were on the territory of a construction base in the Zaliznychnyi neighborhood,” Liakh wrote the attack damaged the premises and equipment As Ukrinform reported, on May 3, three residents of Donetsk region were killed and two others were injured as a result of shelling by Russian troops While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page According to Ukrinform, the State Emergency Service reported this on Facebook The Russians attacked Dobropillia with four drones One person was injured in the town as a result of the attack In Sloviansk, a large-scale fire broke out in the private sector as a result of a Russian drone attack destroying 12 private houses and four civilian cars As Ukrinform reported earlier, a total of almost 3,500 Russian attacks were recorded along the frontline and in the residential sector in Donetsk region over the past day This was reported on Facebook by Vadym Lyakh “It's another bad morning in Sloviansk The area of the railway station,” the post reads As reported, on April 23, the Russian army attacked Sloviansk with air strikes According to Ukrinform, the head of the Sloviansk city military administration (CMA), Vadym Liakh, posted this on Facebook A repair box and a car were damaged in the Buran garage company on Vynohradna Street four people died in Donetsk region as a result of Russian shelling - in Novoekonomichne The head of the Sloviansk city military administration, Vadym Lyakh, said in a video message on Facebook “It's a bad morning in Sloviansk today An attack by the Shahed,” he said in the post It is noted that the massive UAV attack on the city took place from 8:45 to 9:20: there were six “Shaheds” who fired at the industrial zone in the Lisnyi neighborhood The service station and other businesses were damaged As reported, in Donetsk region, Russian troops killed a civilian and wounded four others yesterday, April 14. According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the SSU The investigation found that Russian forces were primarily seeking the locations of Ukrainian defense forces' bases and logistics centers involved in combat on the eastern front the invaders remotely recruited two local residents One of the traitors was identified as a 47-year-old man from Sloviansk he came to the attention of Russian defense intelligence after posting pro-Kremlin comments on social media the agent monitored Ukrainian troop concentrations particularly at checkpoints at the entrances to Sloviansk He also attempted to identify ammunition depots and military repair stations of Ukrainian forces The gathered intelligence was sent via the banned Russian social network Odnoklassniki to an old acquaintance — a Russian militant fighting near Bakhmut who cooperates with Russian intelligence services The second traitor was a 37-year-old factory worker in Kramatorsk which recruited him through a Telegram channel where he posted pro-Russian content Under orders from a Russian intelligence officer and marked Ukrainian military positions on Google Maps The SSU officers detained the suspect while he was preparing an intelligence report with coordinates of potential targets The SSU investigators have charged both suspects under Article 111 Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason committed under martial law) They face life imprisonment with confiscation of property Ukrinform reported that the SSU and the National Police prevented four terrorist attacks and sabotage operations planned by Russian agents One such plot included a planned explosion near the railway station in Lviv This was reported by the Ukrainian Red Cross on Facebook The organization's headquarters has now been hit for the third time when the occupiers targeted a rented office building with a drone 11 members of the Skhid (East) mission team were on rotation at the headquarters though the building and surrounding area sustained significant damage," the Red Cross reported The organization emphasized that the attack on the headquarters of a humanitarian organization is a serious violation of international humanitarian law which prohibits attacks on civilian objects and humanitarian missions Such acts endanger the lives of humanitarian workers and create additional challenges in carrying out their activities The organization strongly condemns such actions and stresses the importance of adhering to the rules of warfare the Ukrainian Red Cross continues its work and is deeply grateful to all our volunteers who continue helping others even in these challenging circumstances," the statement added the Russian forces shelled the Ukrainian Red Cross evacuation base in Sloviansk destroying the building and damaging three vehicles a Russian attack destroyed the Ukrainian Red Cross office in the town of Kurakhove The Sloviansk City Military-Civil Administration reported the attack on Facebook, according to Ukrinform. "On the first day of spring, Sloviansk once again came under fire. At around 17:20, the enemy struck the city with multiple launch rocket systems," the statement read. According to Vadym Liakh, head of the administration, Russian forces used cluster munitions in the attack. "The strike hit near a gas station, damaging the gas station and several vehicles," he said, adding that, fortunately, there were no injuries. Earlier, on February 28, Russian forces shelled three communities in the Donetsk region, resulting in three civilian deaths and two injuries. Photo credit: Sloviansk City Military-Civil Administration Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421. © 2015-2025 Ukrinform. All rights reserved. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. WATCH: Peter Tatchell and Lewis Oakley join Bev and Andrew to discuss Donald Trump Russian forces have bombed a key piece of Ukraine energy infrastructure just hours after Vladimir Putin told Donald Trump he would halt attacks on the grid leaving part of the city without electricity It comes just hours after Putin agreed to temporarily stop attacking Ukrainian energy facilities but declined to support a full 30-day ceasefire Washington had hoped that the ceasefire would be the first step toward a permanent peace deal between Russia and Ukraine a city in the Donetsk region has been heavily bombarded Ukraine's President Zelensky said Putin had "de facto rejected proposal for complete ceasefire" adding that it would be right for the world to reject any attempts by the Russian leader to drag out the war in response Downing Street had welcomed “the progress President Trump has made towards a ceasefire” following his call with Putin a spokeswoman insisted negotiations must lead to a “just and lasting peace for Ukraine” a Downing Street spokeswoman said: “We welcome the progress President Trump has made towards a ceasefire and in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine This process must lead to a just and lasting peace for Ukraine Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks with Boris Johnson at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral A demonstrator holds a banner depicting a playing card with portraits of Russian President Vladimir Putin former Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "What a surprise - Putin rejects an unconditional ceasefire He wants to keep bombing and killing innocent Ukrainians He wants to make Ukraine a vassal state of Russia Foreign Secretary David Lammy signalled the UK and EU are planning to speed up arms shipments to Ukraine ahead of a full ceasefire The Foreign Secretary told Bloomberg: “Of course it’s our intention to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position militarily and economically.” Lammy added: "We want peace to prevail but we get peace through strength and that means putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position to repel any prospects of the war beginning again." David Lammy meets with the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and former Estonian PM Kaja Kallas Democrat lawmakers will call on Trump administration to restore a programme that helps track thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia and to use sanctions to punish those responsible for the rights violation The Republican President's administration has ended a Government-funded initiative led by Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab that tracked the mass deportation of children from Ukraine That decision meant researchers have lost access to a trove of information including satellite imagery and other data about some 30,000 children taken from Ukraine Democratic lawmakers said in a statement: "We have reason to believe that the data from the repository has been permanently deleted this would have devastating consequences." The full story is now available in English – with Christmas and New Year updates It sheds light on some of the most private details of Ukrainian couples’ lives following nearly three years of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine On a sunny October afternoon in the eastern Ukrainian town of Sloviansk a Ukrainian soldier in sky blue uniform stands patiently on the platform of the local train station – in his hands a bouquet of white roses where some of the bloodiest fighting has been taking place since 24th February 2022 He was on the frontline just a few hours earlier Soldiers like Yevhenii have their work cut out for them Nearly three years into the full-scale invasion and with countless lives lost on both sides the Russians are slowly but steadily gaining ground in Ukraine Another brutal winter is also about to set in But right now Yevhenii has something else on his mind His eyes light up as he is looking towards the direction of incoming trains from all over Ukraine ‘I feel very excited to see her again a small industrial town in the eastern Ukrainian Donetsk region lies about 25 kms from the frontline once home to at least 100 thousand inhabitants cinemas and many local businesses have closed down or moved elsewhere There are more soldiers than civilians on the street and silent moments are rare compared to those filled with the sound of the air raid siren is now filling in a new and vital role for Ukrainians It has evolved into a popular romantic spot for soldiers coming in from the frontline to meet their partners from all over Ukraine And the city’s economy has adapted to suit their needs Next to a military store and a shabby Vodafone shop in the city centre a small Kvitka or florist has a selection of roses in a dozen colours A shelf full of teddy bears and romantic cards is standing in the corner with a red heart shaped balloon floating above it ‘Everything has changed in Sloviansk Now we cannot even think as far as tomorrow’ while arranging pink roses on a small table There is a demand for flowers even in times of war Sveta and her colleague Viktoriia are busy each morning,  before the 13:20 Kyiv Express pulls into Sloviansk packed with wives and girlfriends of soldiers ‘We get dozens of soldiers walking in in the morning Most of them leave with carefully chosen bouquets or the occasional teddy bear We also prepare regular flower deliveries for weddings’ The event is often followed by a compulsory photoshoot with the newly-wed soldiers in their uniforms and brides in traditional a few streets down from Sveta’s flower shop has become a popular spot for wedding celebrations in Sloviansk The waitress says they have hosted 4 weddings in the past month ‘We hosted a big wedding party a few days ago Other times we organize smaller parties for the bride Meanwhile there is another economic mini boom in Sloviansk The majority of hotel rooms and rented apartments are now taken by soldiers and their partners and her boyfriend Sasha are one of the many couples seeking solace in a hotel room on the outskirts of the city They meet here once a month to spend a precious day or two together Sasha took me on a surprise trip to a nearby town who arrived just a few hours earlier on the famous Kyiv Express we used to lay in bed and read to each other We do the same now in the hotel.’ Liuda is now reading a book in a park outside the hotel while her boyfriend is taking a nap after his strenuous night shift on the front ‘Our relationship didn’t start with big sparkles and pink clouds It was difficult – we both had to learn how to trust ourselves and each other We have been growing together and the war has made us grow even stronger as a couple’ just like thousands of other Ukrainian women worries about the safety of her loved one every single day.  he is not allowed to share his location with me It was really difficult to get used to that Can you imagine not knowing where your boyfriend is Not knowing whether he is okay?’  She says communication is key to maintaining their long distance relationship Saying good morning and good night each day has become an important part of the routine and sharing photos and videos to keep up a sense of normalcy But with Liuda living in Kyiv and Sasha serving in Donetsk distance remains a huge challenge for them too Taking a train to Donetsk seems like a risk in itself for many Ukrainian women as well as markets and hotels have been regularly targeted by Russians a missile smashed into its busy train station in April 2022 In August 2024 another Russian Iskander targeted the Sapphire Hotel nearby killing a journalist and injuring many others Liuda was nervous when visiting Sasha in Sloviansk for the first time A few months ago I was getting ready for the early morning train in Kyiv to visit Sasha around 4 am the city was attacked with a barrage of Russian missiles taxis will stop operating again and I’ll have to walk to the station under the explosions blond soldiers are drinking coke and smoking Marlboro cigarettes next to a buffet table Oleksandr and Maks have a few hours off before returning to duty on the frontline and has been fighting in the thick of combat But right now he is cheerfully talking about his family back home in Dnipro The names of his wife and 11-year-old daughter are tattooed across his lower arm He then proudly shows a tattoo on his right hand’s ring finger ‘This is the tattoo of my wedding ring I will never be able to lose it.’ He is soon scrolling through videos and photo montages of his wife Olena Most photos are decorated with heart stickers but Oleksandr is a soft-hearted family man underneath it all He lights another cigarette before opening up It is really difficult to find the headspace for a relationship I don’t need a woman to make my life even more difficult.’ He continues to tell a story about his comrade’s bad luck with women ‘My buddy got severely injured on the front His girlfriend was visiting him for 5 months at the hospital sometimes soldiers are waiting on the platform but their girlfriends no longer board the train but their husband is no longer around to greet them is lying with her new-born baby in the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv (The hospital was hit by a Russian Kh-101 missile in July 2024 Wooden boards covering hundreds of blown out windows on the building serve as a stark reminder) a former air conditioning technician turned into a soldier ‘We dated and broke up many times before 2022 It teaches you to keep those you love closer Alyona was visiting her boyfriend in Sloviansk too where he would show up after weeks of fighting in the besieged city of Bakhmut The couple would often have as little time as 24 hours Alyona wanted to start a family with Artem despite the war forever reminding me of Artem.’ Nine months later baby Maksim was born Liuda thinks differently about family planning about building a house with a pool in Odesa Our kids could run around the pool one day But I cannot even think about planning a family right now I cannot stand the thought of my child growing up without a father’ ‘You want to know what my dream is?’ Just to be with my Sasha without fear and uncertainty Yevhenii finally spots his fiancee Yulia as the Kyiv Express comes to a halt His eyes follow her as she runs to the opening door The platform begins to fill up with couples embracing before making their way to the exit of the railway station ‘I will be back here tomorrow to say goodbye to my Yulia’ ‘But right now we have our precious 24 hours The roots of Russia's invasion of Ukraine go back decades and run deep The current conflict is more than one country fighting to take over another; it is — in the words of one U.S official — a shift in "the world order."Here are some helpful stories to make sense of it all A man stands in front of a crater that was made from a missile strike in Slovyansk on Sunday morning Ukraine — When you enter this small city in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region a metal sign above the road greets you saying "Slovyansk is Ukraine." After more than six months of Russia's invasion The front line of Russian-held territory in the east — where fierce fighting has reached a stalemate in recent weeks — is just about 10 miles away Ukrainian officials have ordered evacuations saying resources are too scarce and it's just too dangerous to stay Three residential areas of Slovyansk are without electricity which won't be able to be repaired in the near future There is a dire shortage of fuel and constant shelling most nights a brightly lit kiosk stays open into the night the kiosk is closed and vines grow over it nearly 20% of residents — about 20,000 people — remain Among them are Oksana Morgun and her longtime friend Oleksandr Olaiarov for safety; a habit they started when the war began "We sleep separately [as couples] but everything else is together," says Morgun She has a bag of grapes tied to her bright orange bike Many people here travel by bike since electricity is spotty and there's no public transit anymore Oleksander Olaiarov (left) rides his bicycle with Oksana Morgun through the center of Slovyansk "When night comes and the thunder from the missiles begins Everything is fine?' we ask each other," says Morgun a man walks through a painted pedestrian tunnel A bed of roses grows in the central square in Slovyansk Most shops in the city center are boarded up the public gardens and parks are overgrown and buildings are damaged from recent shelling mostly fueled by the groups of Ukrainian soldiers stopping in for a coffee and to relax before heading back out to the front "We are stationed nearby," explains a soldier who goes by the call sign Petrovich He doesn't want to use his full name for safety reasons He says the lines haven't moved much in recent weeks and a stalemate for troops means you're constantly on edge without much happening Soldiers walk through the entryway to a coffee shop in downtown Slovyansk A soldier who goes by the call sign Petrovich holds a string of beads while he sits outside a coffee shop in Slovyansk A recent missile strike here left a crater along a residential boulevard and damaged eight residential buildings and a school mostly older residents who live in the buildings nearby Liudmyla Fakhrutdinova and her neighbor stopped by to look on their way home from picking up humanitarian aid at a local church Their bags are filled with food and clothes thanks to Ukrainian and international donors She says she had just finished watching a movie the night before when she heard the blast She and her neighbors have been spending nights in the hallway of their building since their bedrooms have windows the lights of residential buildings come on in the evening a woman looks up at the damage from the morning's strike on the residential building Liudmyla Fakhrutdinova walks through central Slovyansk past the morning's missile strike on her way back from church on Sunday "I think about the people who lost their homes." Slovyansk was the first city to be seized by Russia-backed fighters in 2014 Ukraine claimed it back soon after and Batychenko says they worked hard to rebuild with an orange kerchief tied around her head She points to a building just beyond the missile's crater Liubov Mahlii recites a poem she wrote about peace in the Donbas while she stands across from a building that was shelled that morning She lives in the fifth-floor apartment by herself grandchildren and great-grandchildren have all left Slovyansk for the Ukrainian capital so Mahlii had to carry jugs up five flights of stairs so she finally has water back in her apartment people walk past an open kiosk in central Slovyansk the kiosk is shuttered and a man rides his bike she's not planning on leaving anytime soon She passes the days writing and reciting poetry Viktoria Batychenko walks her bike in central Slovyansk where missiles hit in the morning on Sunday Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce." A Russian drone attack on Odesa Oblast on May 5 killed one and caused damage to local infrastructure "We appreciate that Germany plays a pivotal role in supporting Ukraine throughout the years of war Ukraine is also grateful for your personal commitment," President Volodymyr Zelensky said MPs will be able to ask questions and learn more about the details of the agreement in meetings with Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko May 6-7 MP Serhii Sobolev told the news outlet Suspilne The ratification vote is scheduled for May 8 Attacks against the border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba damaged civilian infrastructure and triggered emergency evacuations the regional military administration reported "I look forward to working with President Erdogan on getting the ridiculous war between Russia and Ukraine ended — now!" U.S Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 Far-right Euroskeptic candidate George Simion head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan placed second with 20.99% of the vote and the candidate from the ruling coalition "It requires the continuation of contacts between Moscow and Washington which have been launched and are now ongoing," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said set to operate within the Council of Europe will focus on Russia's political and military leaders up to 20 Russian soldiers were killed and their equipment destroyed The move represents an apparent violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions passed in the wake of North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests by Nate OstillerUkrainian journalist Anastasiia Volkova who died in a traffic accident in Sloviansk on May 30 in an undated photo a military journalist with the Ukrainian state-run media outlet Freedom The Institute for Mass Information NGO reported, citing sources, that Volkova died in a traffic accident Volkova had worked as a journalist in combat hotspots in Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts since 2018 "I was born and raised in Luhansk and lost my native home," Freedom reported that Volkova had said professional activity is everything for me And when I can go to my native land for work my heart is filled with a feeling of pain and thirst to do more to highlight the disaster that Russia has brought to Ukraine to highlight the crimes of the Russian troops." The Institute of Mass Information said that as of March 2024, more than 80 media workers have been killed in Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. At least 10 were killed while doing their professional duties. Nate Ostiller is a former News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. He works on special projects as a researcher and writer for The Red Line Podcast, covering Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and focused primarily on digital misinformation, memory politics, and ethnic conflict. Nate has a Master’s degree in Russian and Eurasian Studies from the University of Glasgow, and spent two years studying abroad at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. Originally from the USA, he is currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Russian shelling kills one, wounds six in Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine (Reuters) - Russian shelling killed one person and wounded six others in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk, a town near the front line of the 2-1/2-year-old war that Russia's military hopes to capture. Vadym Filashkin, governor of Donetsk region, said on the Telegram messaging app that the shelling damaged six multi-storey apartment buildings, an administrative building and a business site. Pictures posted online showed dwellings with shattered windows and damage to facades. Filashkin said two children were among the injured, including a 2-year-old. Russian forces have been advancing slowly through Donetsk region in recent weeks, with the heaviest fighting gripping areas near the town of Pokrovsk, further south. After failing to advance on Kyiv in the early days of the war, Moscow's troops have focused on seizing the Donbas, comprised of Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Ukraine's east.  [email protected] Ukraine's international channel correspondent, war reporter Anastasia Volkova died in Slovyansk (Donetsk oblast), reports Freedom TV Anastasia Volkova worked in the hot spots of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts all the time "I was born and raised in Luhansk and lost my first home my heart is filled with pain and a thirst to do more to speak out on the disaster that Russia has brought to Ukraine to report on the crimes of the Russian troops but I also want everyone to understand what price Ukrainians pay every day of this liberation struggle," Nastya said about her work; she dreamed of being the first Ukrainian journalist to film a report from liberated Luhansk graduated from the Journalism Department of the Volodymyr Dahl University of Eastern Ukraine She has worked as a war correspondent for Ukraine's international broadcasting channels since 2018 IMI extends our deepest condolences to Anastasia's family Updated May 31 at 10:05: Anastasia Volkova was injured in a crash between two cars in Slovyansk. She died in the hospital, reports "Novyny Donbasu" As the media outlet learned from the police and eyewitnesses Anastasia was on a pedestrian crossing in the city's center two cars — a blue minibus and a green VAZ — collided on the roadway The impact was so strong that a car was thrown towards Anastasia "Novyny Donbasu" writes that Anastasia had made many relevant videos for their media outlet about people's lives and the impact of Russian shelling in the area Nastya spent the last few weeks before her death in the hospital She was being treated for an illness that affected her lungs [email protected] (050) 447-70-63 Ідентифікатор медіа: R40-01250 Reprinting and disseminating our information is allowed but under strictly condition of reference to the source Members of the Dnipro-1 regiment carry logs to fortify their position near Sloviansk While the lull in rocket strikes has offered a reprieve to remaining residents some members of the Ukrainian unit say it could be a prelude to renewed Russian attacks Members of the Dnipro-1 regiment position logs to fortify their position near Sloviansk Sloviansk is considered a strategic target in Moscow’s ambitions to seize the Donetsk region a largely Russian-speaking area in Ukraine’s east around 60% of which is controlled by Russian forces and pro-Russian separatists A member of the Dnipro-1 regiment carries a log to fortify a position near Sloviansk From a position on the outskirts of the city soldiers with the Dnipro-1 regiment are expanding a network of trenches and digging bunkers capable of protecting soldiers against mortar strikes and phosphorous bombs A tattoo of the “Joker” decorates the arm of a soldier with the Dnipro-1 regiment as he carries logs to fortify a position near Sloviansk some members of the Ukrainian military unit say it could be a prelude to renewed attacks Soldiers with the Dnipro-1 regiment place logs to fortify their position near Sloviansk members with the Ukrainian military unit are expanding a network of trenches and digging bunkers capable of protecting soldiers against mortar strikes and phosphorous bombs A member of the Dnipro-1 regiment cleans his tent during a period of relative calm around their position near Sloviansk Laundry hangs on a clothesline as a member of the Dnipro-1 regiment cleans his tent during a period of relative calm around their position near Sloviansk Ukrainian soldier Vyacheslav Timohovich holds the stuffed owl toy his seven-year-old daughter gave him to keep him safe as he serves with the Dnipro-1 regiment near Sloviansk who goes by the nickname “Owl,” always keeps the stuffed toy from his daughter tucked inside his body armor Ukrainian soldier Serhiy Artymyev with the Dnipro-1 regiment rests outside his tent during a period of relative calm around their position near Sloviansk which has been nearly entirely controlled by Russia after Ukrainian forces withdrew in early July makes up the industrial Donbas region which has been claimed by separatists since 2014 Food rations are stored in an empty ammunition crate at an outpost for the Dnipro-1 regiment near Sloviansk Members of the Ukrainian military unit believe a Russian advance could be impending with the aim of seizing the strategic city Yurii Bereza with the Dnipro-1 regiment is photographed at the unit’s headquarters during a period of relative calm near Sloviansk Bereza told the Associated Press on Friday adding that he expected the area to get “hot” in the coming days Ukrainian soldier Vyacheslav Timohovich with the Dnipro-1 regiment stands under a tent at an outpost near Sloviansk As heavy ground fighting continues on the front line only miles from Sloviansk members of the Dnipro-1 regiment are fortifying their positions around the city which has experienced a period of relative calm in recent days with the last Russian strike occurring on July 30 Artur Shevtsov with the Dnipro-1 regiment tours a bunker at their position during a period of relative calm near Sloviansk Shevtsov said that the provision of heavy weapons from Ukraine’s western allies had helped keep some Donbas cities like Sloviansk relatively safe since their delivery in June But such weapons have likely only bought time for Ukrainian forces adding that the lack of strikes in the last week “worries me.” (AP Photo/David Goldman) Artur Shevtsov with the Dnipro-1 regiment exits a bunker at the unit’s position near Sloviansk Ukrainian soldier Igor Ryazantsev with the Dnipro-1 regiment keeps watch outside his tent during a period of relative calm around their position near Sloviansk Members of the unit believe a Russian advance could be impending with the aim of seizing the strategic city A dummy looks out from a position with the Ukrainian Dnipro-1 regiment during a period of relative calm around near Sloviansk As heavy ground fighting continues on the front line only miles to the east members of the Dnipro-1 Regiment are digging in after a week of relative calm The last Russian strike on the city occurred on July 30 the head of the volunteer national guard regiment which Russia has almost entirely captured since Ukrainian forces withdrew in early July from the remaining cities under their control together make up the industrial Donbas region The separatists have claimed the region as two independent republics since 2014 and Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized their sovereignty before he sent troops into Ukraine Seizing Sloviansk would put more of the region under Russian control but it also would be a symbolic victory for Moscow The city was the first to be taken by the separatists during an outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine in 2014 though it was later brought back under Ukrainian control said in a Friday assessment that Russian forces had increasingly transferred personnel and equipment from the Donbas toward southern Ukraine to push back at a Ukrainian counteroffensive around the occupied port city of Kherson Those attempts to secure Kherson come “at the expense of (Russian) efforts to seize Sloviansk .. which they appear to have abandoned,” the institute’s analysts said Bereza said he thought muddy conditions after recent rainy weather in the region not the abandonment of Sloviansk as a target were responsible for the pause in Russian artillery strikes Only around 20,000 residents remain in Sloviansk down from over 100,000 before Russia’s invasion The city has been without gas or water for months and residents are only able to manually pump drinking water from public wells Shevtsov said the provision of heavy weapons from Ukraine’s Western allies including U.S.-supplied multiple rocket launchers had helped keep some Donbas cities like Sloviansk relatively safe since their delivery in June adding that the lack of strikes in the last week “worries me.” In his experience a lull means the Russians are preparing to go on the attack said he suspected the silence could be broken within days “We were warned that there could be an assault on the 7th or 8th” of August the headquarters of the Ukrainian Red Cross emergency response team working within the ‘Skhid (East)’ mission The rented office building was struck by an unmanned aerial vehicle 11 members of the ‘Skhid (East)’ mission team were on rotation at the headquarters though the building and surrounding area sustained significant damage The attack on the headquarters of a humanitarian organisation is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and create additional challenges in carrying out our essential activities The Ukrainian Red Cross categorically condemns these actions and emphasises the importance of adhering to the rules of warfare National CommitteeUkrainian Red Cross Society Isabel van Brugen is a Newsweek Reporter based in Kuala Lumpur Her focus is reporting on the Russia-Ukraine war Isabel joined Newsweek in 2021 and had previously worked with news outlets including the Daily Express You can get in touch with Isabel by emailing i.vanbrugen@newsweek.com or by following her on X @isabelvanbrugen either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Russian forces are closing in on Sloviansk, a frontline city in the Donetsk region, as Vladimir Putin's war enters a pivotal stage the U.K.'s Defense Ministry said Wednesday the ministry said Russia's eastern and western groups are likely now approximately 10 miles north from Sloviansk a strategic and tactically important city in the Donbas region "With the town also under threat from the Central and Southern Groups of Forces there is a realistic possibility that the battle for Sloviansk will be the next key contest in the struggle for the Donbas," Wednesday's update said Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 6 July 2022 Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/T09p9Rgd73🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/5E5JLGbY82 Ukraine's military is braced for an assault on Donetsk with Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko having called for the evacuation of all 350,000 of the region's remaining residents Putin's forces have ramped up offensives to seize the Donbas in recent days. But it remains unclear if Russia's forces will attempt to immediately capture Sloviansk Putin asked Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu to allow all troops involved in the offensive in Luhansk to rest to "build up strength." "The units that took part in active hostilities and achieved success increase their combat capabilities," Putin said Newsweek has contacted Russian authorities for comment On Sunday, Moscow claimed a major victory by capturing the last Ukraine-held area of the Luhansk region—which makes up the Donbas with Donetsk Luhansk Governor Serhiy Gaidai told Reuters on Monday that he expected Sloviansk an attack on a marketplace in Sloviansk left at least two people dead and others wounded Residents of Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine recount their experiences of shelling by Russian forces in a market and a residential area that killed at least two people and injured seven #RussianWarCrimeshttps://t.co/rLvUMT899a pic.twitter.com/oSdpoiY1BJ "This week there hasn't been a day without shelling," Donetsk Governor Kyrylenko said Tuesday evening He said Sloviansk is now within range of Russian multiple-rocket launchers the attacks are aimed at destroying the local population," Kyrylenko said Gaidai wrote on his Telegram channel on Wednesday that Russian regular army and reserve forces had been sent to the edge of the Luhansk region in an apparent effort to cross the Siverskiy Donets River "We are holding back the enemy on the border of Luhansk region and Donetsk region," Gaidai said "It's important to evacuate as many people as possible," Lyakh said Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all Buses are running again and the market is crowded after the liberation of strategic Lyman nearby in SlovianskSun 2 Oct 2022 16.58 CESTLast modified on Mon 3 Oct 2022 06.12 CESTShareFor the city of Sloviansk the recapture of the strategic hub of Lyman about 12 miles away by Ukrainian forces has brought a new mood of optimism The Donbas city was once one of Russia’s main objectives along with neighbouring Kramatorsk On Sunday as a continuous stream of military traffic was visible leaving Sloviansk in the direction of Lyman the impact of the fall of the strategic railway junction was already transforming Sloviansk a place that for months has been a ghost city long suspended because of the danger of shelling and missiles Residents spoke of some who had fled to live in safer cities talking about returning is most noticeable in the countryside beyond the city limits on the road towards Lyman where the roadside woods are marked by minefield signs and shattered buildings A few miles outside the city Viktor Kuznetzov was pushing his bicycle loaded with groceries he had been to fetch from the city until last week was under regular Russian artillery fire from Lyman and neighbouring Yampil But it has got quieter in the last week since Izium fell Finally we hope we might survive this war.” Walking along the same road towards her dacha near an abandoned lake resort “They’re not hitting us from Lyman any more,” she said adding that the long walk from the city centre where she lives “is now not too bad” with the reduced threat of shelling “It’s been much quieter in the last few days Where the frontline was once situated further up this road by Sunday it had been pushed far beyond Lyman where battles were being fought with the remnants of Russian forces who occupied Lyman and had been forced into a chaotic retreat towards neighbouring Kreminna fleeing in a long convoy down the last road still open to them under heavy Ukrainian fire those Russians were reported to be facing ambushes in the neighbouring Kreminna forest by Ukrainian forces Col Serhii Cheravaty of the Ukrainian 24th Mechanised Infantry Brigade said that Ukrainian forces were still pursuing fleeing Russians where they could Describing the importance of Lyman he said: “First is its geographic significance We have opened the gates to Luhansk and Sievierodonetsk The fall of Lyman has boosted both the morale among Ukrainian troops as well as local civilians while on the other hand it broke the morale of Russian troops Putin proclaimed this area as Russian and we already have it back.” During the Guardian’s visit on Sunday two shells whooshed in exploding on the city’s outskirts and sending up a column of grey smoke while small informal markets for vegetables and second-hand goods had popped up in several places was optimistic that the threat to Sloviansk was at last receding “But it is getting much busier since the Russians were pushed out of Kharkiv and now Lyman We have water now and electricity and even public transport.” The tide has turned in the frontline cities of the Donbas since the spring and summer Then the story was of a grinding Russian advance backed by massive artillery fire that encircled and swallowed up the towns and cities in this area to the east of a line running from Sloviansk to Kostiantynivka with Russian forces in the east from Kharkiv down to Lyman either being scattered in retreat or – like Lyman – facing a devastating rapid encirclement and destruction The significance of the liberation of Lyman, and the continuing offensive, was underlined by Serhiy Haidai, the governor of the Luhansk region that neighbours Donetsk, who said control over Lyman could help Ukraine reclaim lost territory in his region, whose full capture Moscow announced in early July after weeks of grinding advances. “The liberation of this city in the Donetsk region is one of the key factors for the further de-occupation of the Luhansk region,” Haidai wrote on the Telegram messaging app on Sunday. Only on the frontline beyond Kostiantynivka are Russian forces still trying to advance around the towns of Bakhmut and Soledar, failing to make headway even as the Lyman sector has collapsed. And while the situation has improved in Sloviansk, 40 minutes’ drive away in Kostiantynivka the sound of Putin’s war is still starkly audible, the sound of booms echoing from Bakhmut in the distance. Serhii Kirik, 54, a taxi driver, is waiting at a bus stop. “The Russians have been stopped in Bakhmut. I just wish now it would all end. My wife and children are in Dnipro but it’s so expensive. Some people have come back here but it’s because they have run out of money. But it is still pretty much empty which means there is no work for me. “I really hope the next advance by our forces will push them back from here.” Read moreAt the central bus station the sound of the distant fighting is clearer still with a dull thud sounding almost once a minute “The only reason I am still here is that I am an optimist The Guardian asked her about the fact that Russian forces were still trying to advance on Bakmhut “It’s their problem if they are still trying to hang on there but after the success in Lyman our general Oleksandr Sirsky [commander of Ukrainian ground forces] will be preparing his next steps.” A fire broke out in Sloviansk as a result of a Russian strike. The fire destroyed a residential building, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the head of Donetsk Regional Military Administration Vadym Filashkin. The situation in other districts of Donetsk region also remains tense One person was wounded in Pokrovsk as a result of shelling Russian troops damaged a private house and an infrastructure facility Russian troops fired a total of five times at settlements in Donetsk region over the past day On January 27, Russian troops attacked the Sloviansk civilian infrastructure. On January 3, Russian troops attacked the private sector of Sloviansk with a guided aerial bomb On the night of October 31, 2024, Russia struck Kramatorsk and Sloviansk A Death Squad Unmasked As Ukraine War Grinds On Six Years Later RFE/RL has determined the identities of -- and new details about -- seven of the nine men who served on Russian warlord Igor Girkin’s “military tribunals” in eastern Ukraine "Executing an individual for a petty crime would not seem to satisfy the requirement for a fair trial there is at least prima facie evidence of a war crime." Read the nerve-racking story of how the documents were discovered by this journalist and two others on July 7 Browse and preview the documents by swiping or tapping the arrows Download the whole cache of documents (ZIP file of PDFs “The victims were blindfolded and foil was put on their heads prior to the execution (...) They were executed by a shot to the back of their heads fired from automatic guns.” RFE/RL journalists report the news in 20 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established We provide what many people cannot get locally: uncensored news Ukraine (AP) — A day after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared victory in seizing an eastern Ukraine province essential to his wartime aims a city in the path of Moscow’s offensive came under sustained bombardment READ MORE: Putin declares victory in eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk Mayor Vadim Lyakh said in a Facebook post that “massive shelling” pummeled Sloviansk which had a population of about 107,000 before Russian forces invaded Ukraine more than four months ago who urged residents hours earlier to evacuate At least one person was killed and another seven wounded Tuesday He said the city’s central market and several districts came under attack adding that authorities were assessing the extent of the damage The barrage targeting Sloviansk underscored fears that Russian forces were positioned to advance farther into Ukraine’s Donbas region a mostly Russian-speaking industrial area where the country’s most experienced soldiers are concentrated Sloviansk has taken rocket and artillery fire during Russia’s war in Ukraine but the bombardment picked up in recent days after Moscow took the last major city in neighboring Luhansk province “It’s important to evacuate as many people as possible,” he warned Tuesday morning adding that shelling damaged 40 houses on Monday The Ukrainian military withdrew its troops Sunday from the city of Lysychansk to keep them from being surrounded Russia’s defense minister and Putin said the city’s subsequent capture put Moscow in control of all of Luhansk one of two provinces that make up the Donbas The office of Ukraine’s president said the Ukrainian military was still defending a small part of Luhansk and trying to buy time to establish fortified positions in nearby areas The question now is whether Russia can muster enough strength to complete its seizure of the Donbas by taking Donetsk province Putin acknowledged Monday that Russian troops who fought in Luhansk need to “take some rest and beef up their combat capability.” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday that the war in Ukraine would continue until all of the goals set by Putin are achieved Shoigu said “the main priorities” for Moscow at the moment were “preserving the lives and health” of the troops as well as “excluding the threat to the security of civilians.” When Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, his stated goals were defending the people of the Donbas against Kyiv’s alleged aggression, and the “demilitarization” and “denazifaction” of Ukraine Pro-Russia separatists have fought Ukrainian forces and controlled much of the Donbas for eight years Putin recognized the independence of the two self-proclaimed separatist republics in the region He also sought to portray the tactics of Ukrainian forces and the government as akin to Nazi Germany’s The General Staff of the Ukrainian military said Russian forces also shelled several Donetsk towns and villages around Sloviansk in the past day but were repelled as they tried to advance toward a town about 20 kilometers (12 miles) to the city’s north Russian forces were trying to push toward two more towns and shelling areas near Kramatorsk READ MORE: Dozens of Russian diplomats expelled from Bulgaria Moscow-installed officials in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region on Tuesday announced the formation of a new regional government there with a former Russian official at the helm the head of the new Moscow-backed government in Kherson is a former deputy prime minister of Russia’s western exclave of Kaliningrad and also used to work at Russia’s Federal Security Service It wasn’t immediately clear what would become of the “military-civic administration” the Kremlin installed earlier Vladimir Saldo said in a Telegram statement that the new government was “not a temporary “The fact that not just Kherson residents are part of this government speaks clearly about the direction the Kherson region is headed in the future,” he said “This direction is to Russia.” There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins Ukraine (AP) — The echo of artillery shells thundering in the distance mingles with the din of people gathered around Sloviansk's public water pumps piercing the uneasy quiet that smothers the nearly deserted streets of this eastern Ukrainian city but fears grow that come winter the city only seven miles (12 kilometers) from Russian-occupied territory could face a humanitarian crisis once the pipes begin to freeze over "The water infrastructure was destroyed by the constant battles," said Lyubov Mahlii a 76-year-old widow who gathers 20 liters (around five gallons) of water twice a day from a public tank near her apartment dragging the plastic bottles up four flights of stairs on her own And local officials believe things will only get worse once the cold sets in Locals fill their bottles with hand pumps or from plastic tanks at one of five public wells before hauling them home in bicycle baskets wheeled carts and even children's strollers Speaking from her tidy kitchen after one such trip Mahlii said she boils some water for at least 15 minutes to make sure it's safe for consumption watering plants and taking care of a stray dog named Chapa Mahlii shares her Soviet government-provided apartment with two bright yellow canaries and an assortment of houseplants Water she had gathered filled the plastic tubs and buckets stacked on every flat surface in her small bathroom while empty plastic bottles lined the walls in her hallway A meat and vegetable soup was cooking on an electric burner for lunch But despite that and the terror that accompanies the shriek of falling rockets near the city with no money to relocate and nowhere to go Mahlii plans to stay in Sloviansk — no matter what "I don't want to leave my apartment because someone else might occupy it," she said gathered water from a tank at a park on Sunday for marinating cucumbers in the sun that afternoon She said the scarcity had upended all aspects of her life Kyslovska said she sometimes avoids bathing to save herself a trip to the park and often washes her clothing in a nearby lake She blamed the local government for the lack of running water complaining that nearby Kramatorsk — just six miles (10 kilometers) to the south — still had water flowing from its taps the head of Kramatorsk's military administration said even that comparative luxury was threatened by winter when the temperature drops to -20 C (-4 F) Goncharenko said Kramatorsk would drain municipal pipes that run into unheated structures to prevent them from freezing and bursting and that he was "99% certain" that gas wouldn't be restored before winter Electricity cuts and the lack of heating could also see the fire risk soar as people try to heat and light their homes by other means Ukrainian officials are still trying to convince the Donetsk region's remaining residents to evacuate as the war's front line threatens to move westward and the inhospitable winter looms Officials in Kramatorsk plan to build more public wells to supply the remaining population but Goncharenko warned the water quality couldn't be guaranteed Such water would likely be sourced from deep underground which would be too high in calcium and unfit for drinking Mahlii hasn't made plans for what she'll do once cold weather arrives but after 47 years in her Sloviansk apartment she will face whatever comes from her home "We are surviving by any means." Vadim Lyakh says 40 houses hit on Monday as Moscow shifts focus to main cities in Donetsk region after fall of Lysychansk The mayor of Sloviansk has called on its remaining residents to evacuate as the Russian invaders stepped up their shelling of the frontline Ukrainian city after the capture of Lysychansk on Sunday Vadim Lyakh said 40 houses had been shelled on Monday – while other officials later said two people were killed and seven injured after Russian forces struck a market and a residential area in the city “It’s important to evacuate as many people as possible,” Lyakh said in an interview with Reuters noting separately that 144 people had been evacuated on Tuesday from a city now deemed at risk from Russian bombardment six people were killed and 20 injured in missile attacks aimed at the city one of the main population centres in the Donbas region that remains outside Russian military control Turkey had raised objections to Sweden and Finland’s membership amid concerns about the latter two countries’ relationship with Turkey’s Kurdish minority, but these were dropped after an agreement between the three last week. At a news conference, the foreign ministers of Sweden and Finland both denied that the two countries had agreed to extradite specific people to Turkey. “There is, of course, no lists or anything like that in the memorandum,” Sweden’s foreign minister, Ann Linde, said. Read moreRussia had concentrated its forces to capture the cities of Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk between May and July the last two cities in Luhansk province it did not control through an unrelenting and often untargeted artillery barrage Ukraine said on Monday it had retreated from Lysychansk prompting speculation that Russia would now focus on Sloviansk and Kramatorsk to the south the two main cities in Donetsk province held by Kyiv The provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk make up Ukraine’s industrial Donbas region Sloviansk had a population of 107,000 and Kramatorsk 210,000 before the war reluctant to abandon their homes despite being just a few miles from the frontlines It is unclear if Moscow will immediately attempt to seize Sloviansk said on Monday that Russian troops who fought in Luhansk needed to “take some rest and beef up their combat capability” said the war in Ukraine would continue until all Putin’s goals were achieved – but added that “the main priorities” for Moscow at the moment were “preserving the lives and health” of the troops as well as “excluding the threat to the security of civilians” Ukraine hopes to bring forward recently obtained western weapons into the battlefield most notably rocket artillery donated by the US and the UK pointing to a critical point in the conflict in which Kyiv hopes to demonstrate it will be able to push the Russian invaders back “This is the last victory for Russia on Ukrainian territory,” Oleksiy Arestovych “Taking the cities in the east meant that 60% of Russian forces are now concentrated in the east and it is difficult for them to be redirected to the south,” he said “And there are no more forces that can be brought in from Russia They paid a big price for Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk.” One western analyst said he believed that assessment was optimistic a land warfare expert at the Rusi thinktank said: “The loss of Lysychansk is a bad sign and I fear that it is indeed a sign of sustainable Russian momentum.” While it was possible that Russia would run out of steam “I fear that the Ukrainian army will continue to be pushed back.” Both sides suffered heavy losses in the battle for the two Luhansk cities but Ukraine almost certainly more so because Russia was able to shell the defenders from a distance before moving in ground forces Estimates provided to Rusi from Ukraine’s military were that 100 people a day on average were killed Four missiles hit the southern city of Mykolaiv on Tuesday Kostenko said infrastructure targets had been hit and some civilians suffered minor injuries Russia used their missiles as an alarm clock,” Kostenko said “There were a few mornings when we woke up and didn’t hear any strikes Today there were four missiles from either Kherson direction or from the Black Sea.” Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine its troops all but encircled Mykolaiv and its port on the Bug River seizing the airport after advancing from the north-east after weeks of fighting the Ukrainian army managed to push the Russians back and the city has become a symbol of anti-Russian resistance Mykolaiv province is still regarded as a strategic target by Moscow and central to its goal of annexing Ukraine’s Black Sea coast "The aggressor continues to launch missile and air strikes on military and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and does not abandon attempts to establish control over the town of Sievierodonetsk," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted on Facebook informing about the situation at the front as of 18:00 the situation in Volyn and Polissya directions has not changed significantly the enemy fired on Senkivka in Chernihiv region and Sopych the enemy is fighting to hold the occupied frontiers the enemy focuses on preparing troops for the assault on the town of Slovyansk the enemy fired tube and rocket artillery on Ukrainian units and civilian infrastructure in the area of Lysychansk the Ukrainian troops are successfully deterring assault operations in the area of ​​the village of Komyshuvakha Enemy attempts to assault Svitlodarsk and Vuhlehirsk TPP were also unsuccessful the Ukrainian defenders inflicted fire damage on the occupiers the enemy retreated to its former position The occupiers did not conduct active hostilities in Avdiivka the enemy focused its main efforts on conducting reconnaissance the enemy units fire artillery to thwart favorable conditions for Ukraine’s counteroffensive in Kherson and Mykolayiv regions There have been no significant changes in Bessarabsky direction an enemy naval group is deployed to block civilian navigation in the northwestern part of the Black Sea The intensity of the use of enemy aircraft has been reduced due to successful actions of the Ukrainian air defense units The enemy focuses its efforts on supporting the actions of the ground group and launching missile strikes on infrastructure in the depths of Ukraine