Russia and Ukraine poured in reinforcements in the eastern part of Ukraine over the weekend, as the Kremlin seems set to gain control of parts of Eastern Donbas that are not yet under Moscow.
Officials expect large-scale tank and artillery battles in this region in the upcoming days.
It "will remind you of the Second World War," quoted Ukraine’s Foreign Minister.
Chemical weapon claims and more
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday voiced concerns that Russian forces could use chemical weapons in Ukraine but did not confirm whether they had been used.
News agencies in Russia and Belarus reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko today to discuss the situation in Ukraine and the western sanctions.
The rising refugee rate
While Ukraine braces for this new Russian offensive, refugees continue to flee to neighboring countries for safety. As of today, over 4.8 million Ukrainian children are displaced, according to UNICEF.
Emergency Programs Director, Manuel Fontaine said it is something he had “never before seen happen so quickly in 31 years of humanitarian work.”
Crimes against women and children
The United Nations said reports of human trafficking, rape and sexual violence against fleeing women and children are on the rise and local organizations are collecting survivor testimonies about war crimes, allegedly committed by Russian troops.
The Kremlin denies the allegations of crime and assault directed toward its troops.
Russia’s new commander
Russian Army General Aleksandr Dvornikov, architect of the country’s military intervention in Syria, will become the army’s overall commander for the troops in Ukraine—as Russia refocuses on the south and eastern Donbas region.
