U.S. Media: Ukraine Claims Russian Army is Launching Spring Offensive in Eastern Ukraine

[Global Times Comprehensive Report] According to a report by CNN on the 23rd, the Ukrainian military and analysts stated that the Russian army has launched a spring offensive in eastern Ukraine, deploying dozens of tanks and armored vehicles. This offensive is accelerating, and Ukrainian President Zelensky expressed that he feels "very bad" about the potential consequences of U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran for his country.

On the 20th, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Zaluzhny, stated that as weather conditions changed, the Russian army increased pressure at multiple points along the front line, with "the number of firefights in recent days exceeding 200." The commander of the Ukrainian 11th Corps, Zaporizhzhia, on the 21st, noted that active troop movements, enhanced artillery firepower, tactical aviation, and extensive use of drones by the Russian army were observed across all fronts, indicating that the Russian army is preparing for further offensives.

The Ukrainian "Nfront" website reported on the 23rd that the Russian army has intensified its offensive actions this spring, with primary targets being Lyman, Sloviansk, and Kostiantynivka. In the past week, the Russian army launched 1,336 attacks on Ukrainian positions. After a relatively calm period, the Russian army shifted to large-scale offensives, particularly with mechanized units, with the Lyman direction becoming a key focus area. CNN stated that the scale of this offensive marks a shift in Russian tactics, as Russia had previously attempted to infiltrate Ukrainian positions using small infantry units for most of last year.

CNN also mentioned that despite the Russian army making slight progress on most battlefields in recent months, the Kremlin still insists that capturing the remaining territories in four regions of eastern Ukraine remains the goal of its "special military operation." On the 21st, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Southern Command, Voloshin, told the Ukrainian International News Agency that Russia will deploy all mobilized personnel currently in Crimea to combat operations in Ukraine starting April 1.

Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported on the 23rd that in the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian military has lost approximately 1,275 soldiers in the special military operation. Among them, the Russian "Eastern" group of troops advanced deep into enemy defenses, resulting in Ukrainian losses of over 260 soldiers, 2 armored vehicles, 7 cars, and 1 "Grad" multiple rocket launcher system vehicle, among others. (Wang Yi)