The Russian side claimed that the Russian army had broken through two Ukrainian defense lines in eastern Uzbekistan.

The picture shows Russian soldiers and their surface-to-air missile systems in the Luhansk region.

(Reuters)

[Central News Agency] Russia said today that the Russian army broke through two Ukrainian defense lines on the eastern front of Ukraine; Kiev said the situation on the ground was serious and asked the West to speed up military assistance to meet the expected Russian offensive.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the Ukrainian army had retreated after losing an attack in the Luhansk region, Reuters reported, without providing details.

Reuters could not independently verify the authenticity of the report.

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The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on the encrypted communication software Telegram, "During the Russian offensive, the Ukrainian army retreated in a disorderly manner to as much as 3 kilometers away from the previous occupation line", "Even the stronger enemy's second line of defense was attacked. The Russians broke through and could not hold it."

The office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had repelled some Russian attacks in Lugansk region but "the situation on the ground remains difficult".

The Kremlin has stepped up its attacks on large areas of Unan and Udong, and it has long been widely expected that Moscow will launch a new wave of major offensives.

The Udonetsk town of Bakhmut, which borders Luhansk region, has become a major Russian target.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces Chief of Staff made no mention of a major defeat in Luhansk Oblast in a routine morning update briefing on the situation, emphasizing that Ukrainian forces repelled enemy attacks in areas the size of more than 20 settlements, including at Bakhmut and Vuhledar is a town 150 kilometers southwest of Bakhmut.

Zelensky said yesterday that Russia's latest offensive was eager to secure as many gains as possible before Ukraine and its allies could gather strength.

"That's why speed matters. Everything has to be fast: adoption of decisions, implementation of decisions, delivery of supplies, training. Speed ​​saves lives," he told NATO defense ministers, who are meeting in Brussels, Belgium. .”

Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai also said today that Russia has invested heavily in heavy equipment and mobilized troops in Luhansk Oblast, but the Ukrainian army is still holding on to the area.

"There's been a lot of shelling ... waves of attacks coming from all directions. We're seeing them mobilizing those who are being mobilized (to the front lines) and we're seeing them throwing in more heavy equipment," Heday said.

But Heday emphasized: "Those who spread the news that our defenders have withdrawn from the administrative border line of Luhansk Oblast, this kind of news is not in line with the facts."

Taking into account the months of defeats before the expiration of the Russian invasion on February 24, taking Bakhmut at this moment would allow Moscow to gain access to Kramatorsk and Kramatorsk, two larger towns in Donetsk Oblast. Stepping stones for the advance of Sloviansk.

Oleh Zhdanov, a Ukrainian military analyst, said Bakhmut was fighting "around every house".