At 48^And On the day of the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian army and its Western allies still expect a major offensive by Russian troops in the east to seize control of Donbass. According to French public servants, it could start “In a few days”. “Russia may launch a major offensive to seize Donetsk and Luhansk regions, or push it. [fleuve] Dnieper, if its abilities allow, finish by lowering the last resistance like Mariupol.A spokesman told reporters.

A U.S. military official said: At a conference announced by the media Foreign policyRussian bombings and airstrikes have been declining in recent days “Russian troops are still preparing for the Battle of Donbass.”.

In Mariupol. According to Moscow, more than a thousand Ukrainian soldiers have visited the besieged strategic port for more than a month. The Ukrainians did not deny, But make sure the city does not fall, and that there are still pockets of resistance on the Azovstal metallurgical campus where the last Ukrainian troops are rooted., For some, hidden in a network of tunnels. The mayor of the city, Vadym Boïtchenko, confirms that 180,000 citizens are still waiting to be mobilized and evacuated from the surrounding villages. On Tuesday, he put forward at least 20,000 deaths since the war began.

In the east. Ukrainian authorities have called on the people of these regions to leave soon. No humanitarian walkway opened on Wednesday, Ukrainians blame Russians “Violation of Ceasefire Agreement” In the Luhansk region. The leader of one of the two “Republics” The unilaterally declared pro-Russian, Leonid Paschetnik, said his soldiers were now in control. “80 to 90%” Of this region. According to him, the Ukrainian army is now present only in the cities of Kremennaya, Rubisnye, Siverodonetsk, Lysitshansk and, to a lesser extent, Bopasnaya.

Kiev and the North. Around the capital, as elsewhere, Ukrainian officials say they find bodies every day in areas where Russian forces have been evacuated in late March, especially in Bautista and Porodianka. The Russian Defense Ministry has warned that if Ukraine attacks continue on Russian territory. Decision-makers, including kyiv, will be attacked by the Russian military. ” In the Kharkiv region (northeast), seven people have been killed and 22 injured in Russian bombings in the past 24 hours, the regional governor said.

Difficult balance. UN figures take into account civilian casualties, as in other wars: provisional assessment “4,450 civilians were affected in the country: 1,892 died and 2,558 were injured” Since February 24, but the UN “Believe that real numbers are high”. The UN has announced that it is changing the guidelines and that further estimates should be closer to reality. In terms of military casualties, each side gives an infallible number of enemy soldiers killed. As for their own losses, they are very sensible. Russia said on March 25 that it had lost 1,351 soldiers. Ukraine admits losing soldiers in the war, but has not released specific figures.