On Thursday, May 26, Ukraine reported on Russian forces focusing on encircling Ukrainian positions around the city of Severodonetsk to finish occupation of eastern Luhansk Region. Hearing the concern of international organisations about the growing food crisis in Middle Eastern and African countries dependent on Ukrainian grain imports, Moscow has offered to unblock Ukrainian Black Sea ports in exchange for lifting sanctions. Kyiv has condemned preparations of Russia to hand out its passports in southern Ukraine, Belarusian Nexta TV, Ukrainian Ukrinform and British The Guardian report.
In the eastern Donbas frontline, Russian forces have made gains to the north and west of occupied Popasna, Luhansk Region and seek to encircle the strategic Ukrainian outpost around the city of Severodonetsk, which has been the focus of Russian shelling for weeks.
pic.twitter.com/SSYxDrh5Gc
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 25, 2022
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces stated in its report on the warfare over the past 24 hours to the morning of Thursday, May 26, that Russian troops were attempting to storm Luhansk Region’s Severodonetsk and Lysychansk. In Donetsk Region’s Marinka, the invaders were reported as using incendiary projectiles.
Another small encirclement is possible near Bakhmut, Donetsk Region. To the north of the Donetsk Region, the invaders seek to carry out an offensive southward from occupied Izyum.
pic.twitter.com/EHTGIrared
— Illia Ponomarenko ?? (@IAPonomarenko) May 25, 2022
The invaders sought to improve their tactical position in Izium area and resume the offensive on the town of Slovyansk. The Russians fired artillery, MLRS, mortars, and tanks on Chepil, Dovhenke, Kurulka, Bohorodychne, and Studenok, the General Staff claimed.
In the Bakhmut direction, fighting continued as Russian troops attempted an offensive in Komyshuvakha, Lypove, and Nahirne districts. In Donetsk Region’s Avdiivka direction, the invaders carried out assault operations towards Krasnohorivka, Kamyanka, Avdiivka, Pisky, but failed, according to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Russia seeking to hand out its passports in south
Moscow’s objective to make it easier for Ukrainians living in occupied regions of Ukraine to receive Russian citizenship violates international law, Kyiv has stated, The Guardian Reports.
«The illegal issuing of passports … is a flagrant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as norms and principles of international humanitarian law,» the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry noted in a statement on Wednesday.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, also on Wednesday, signed a decree simplifying the procedure to get a Russian passport for residents of the southern Ukrainian regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
Wish to avoid food shortages, lift sanctions
In a move indicating Russia’s readiness to use the food shortage in some Middle Eastern and African countries its invasion of Ukraine has caused as a bargaining chip has called for lifting sanctions against Russia. Moscow is ready to provide a humanitarian corridor for vessels carrying food to leave Ukraine, in return for the lifting of some sanctions, the Interfax news agency cited Russian deputy foreign minister Andrei Rudenko as saying.
Ukraine’s Black Sea ports have been blocked since Russia sent thousands of troops into Ukraine in February. More than 20m tonnes of grain are stuck in silos in the country, raising concerns about famine in countries dependent on the supplies, The Guardian reports.