Every day new names are learned in the geography of the war imposed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Moscow’s forces are attempting to break through to the Kreminna, a gateway to two much larger nearby cities, Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk, the main industrial centers in the Donbass region. Controlling the area means being able to service much of the territory in the region that Putin has made the focus of his war effort.
So when the Russians concentrate their forces in the area, the Ukrainians understand that they have to hold these areas.
A Ukrainian soldier says: “We want the war to end as soon as possible in order to expel them from our country, from our territory.”
Despite appeals from the Ukrainian Presidency, the population continues to linger in these areas, often assisting the soldiers in the war effort. However, given the violence of the clashes, this increases the risk of civilian deaths.