MOSCOW: Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has visited Russian forces in occupied Ukraine, the Russian military said on the anniversary of the start of the war on Saturday.
The Minister told the troops, today, in terms of the ratio of troops, the advantage is on their side. The military’s statement said Sergei Shoigu was briefed that Russian troops were on the offensive following taking the industrial hub of Avdiivka.
Ukraine marked two years on Saturday since Russia’s invasion, commencing another year of fighting that has been made worse by a lack of Western assistance while Russia has gained confidence from recent developments.
US President Joe Biden announced sanctions against Moscow on Friday, on more than 500 targets, to mark the second anniversary of Russian’s invasion of Ukraine while pledging sustained pressure to prevent President Putin’s “war machine.”
War in Ukraine
Speaking on the eve of the 2ndanniversary since the conflict started, President Biden said that they could not walk away now. In a statement, President Joe Biden said that the new sanctions will ensure “President Putin pays an even steeper price for his hostility abroad and suppression at home”. He further said that they were also imposing new export restrictions on about 100 entities for providing backdoor support for Moscow’s war machine.
The new development comes as Moscow makes its first gains in months on the battleground in Ukraine, which has been forced to ration ammunition as a political stalemate in Washington blocks new US defence aid.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that decisions regarding arms supplies must be given top priority. On this anniversary, Western leaders, including EU Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen, are scheduled to visit Kyiv.
