'Battle for the Donbas': Russia commences new offensive in eastern region, Ukrainian officials say

Firefighters drive towards a fire at a factory after a Russian attack in the outskirts of Kharkiv over the weekend. Picture: AP Photo/Felipe Dana

Russia appears to have begun its new offensive in the east of Ukraine, Ukraine's top security official has said.

"This morning, along almost the entire front line of Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv regions, the occupiers attempted to break through our defences," Security Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said in comments broadcast on Ukrainian television this evening.

"They began their attempt to start the active phase this morning," he said.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a “significant part” of the Russian army is now focused on taking control of eastern Ukraine. 

In a video address,  he said Russian troops had begun the battle for the Donbas, “for which they have been preparing for a long time”.

Graphic: PA

Mr Zelenskyy vowed that Ukrainian forces would continue the fight despite the escalation.

“No matter how many Russian troops are driven there, we will fight” he said. “We will defend ourselves. We will do it every day.”

The Donbas is Ukraine’s mostly Russian-speaking industrial heartland in the east. It is the region where Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces for the past eight years and have declared two independent republics that have been recognized by Russia - Donetsk and Luhansk.

In recent weeks, Kremlin declared the capture of the Donbas its main goal of the war after its attempt to storm Kyiv faltered. 

Ukrainian servicemen walk among debris of damaged buildings after a Russian attack in Kharkiv. Picture: AP Photo/Felipe Dana

The announcement came as Russia bombarded the western city of Lviv and numerous other targets across Ukraine in what appeared to be an intensified bid to grind down the country’s defences.

At the same time, the Kremlin continued building up its forces in the east.

At least seven people were reported killed in the missile strikes on Lviv, a city close to the Polish border that has seen only sporadic attacks during almost two months of war and has become a haven for civilians fleeing the fighting elsewhere.