Russia Draws Closer To Capture Ukraine’s Donbas

June 8, 2022 4:15 am

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Russia is drawing closer to its goal of fully capturing Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland of coal mines and factories. The Kremlin claimed Tuesday to have taken control of 97% of one of the two provinces that make up the Donbas region. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Moscow’s forces hold nearly all of Luhansk province. And it appears that Russia now occupies roughly half of Donetsk province. That’s according to Ukrainian officials and military analysts. After abandoning its attempt to storm Kyiv two months ago, Russia declared that taking the entire Donbas is its main objective.