Russia says Ukrainian forces retreated in Luhansk
Eastern city of Bakhmut prepares for Russian assault
Zelenskiy urges allies to speed up military aid
NATO allies focus on boosting ground forces, for now
KYIV, Feb 15 (Reuters) – Russia said on Wednesday its troops had broken through two fortified lines of Ukrainian defences on the eastern front, as Kyiv demanded faster supplies of military aid from its allies ahead of a predicted Russian offensive.
The Russian Defence Ministry said the Ukrainians had retreated in the face of Russian attacks in the Luhansk region, although it provided no details and Reuters was not able to independently verify the battlefield report.
“During the offensive … the Ukrainian troops randomly retreated to a distance of up to 3 km (1.9 miles) from the previously occupied lines,” the ministry said on the Telegram messaging app.
“Even the more fortified second line of defence of the enemy could not hold the breakthrough of the Russian military.”
The Kremlin has intensified attacks across a swathe of southern and eastern Ukraine in recent weeks, and a major new offensive has been widely anticipated.
