World Affairs International

Ukraine has asked for more Western materiel as Russia continues its strategy of advancing under overwhelming artillery. Russia has employed both artillery and longer-ranged missiles, fired from ships in the Black Sea and Russia’s mobile rocket artillery vehicles. In what seems like an escalation of troops, with more Ukrainians in the Territorial Defense Forces moving to the frontlines as Russian BTGs are reinforced with reservists and conscripts, the battle for Sievierodonetsk and the rest of the Luhansk pocket rages on.

In occupied territories, including Berdyansk and Melitopol, large explosions have been reported, allegedly caused by Ukrainian partisans. Russia has denied these, excusing them as their own “de-mining” efforts, but the incidents have not abated. Additionally, the Russian theft of Ukrainian resources has continued, with steel and grain exports being reported from sources in occupied territories.

Ukraine has now opened land-based routes through Eastern Europe to ship grain. This is unlikely to substitute previous large-scale shipping well to ports in North Africa, and efforts to reach an agreement regarding Russia’s blockade continue with Turkey repeatedly engaging Russia on the issue.