Ukrainian Troops Reorganize Forces To Defend Donetsk After Losing Lugansk, Presidential Adviser Zelensky: Russia's Last Victory

JAKARTA - Russian troops began eyeing their next operational target in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk Province on Tuesday, after President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in Lugansk, as the war, which has entered its fifth month, is now in a new phase.

Sunday's conquest of the city of Lysychansk completed Russia's conquest of Lugansk, one of two areas in the Donbas, Ukraine's industrial east that has been the scene of Europe's biggest fighting in generations.

Both sides had suffered heavy casualties in the struggle for Lugansk, especially during the siege of the twin cities of Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk. Both cities have been left in ruins by the relentless Russian bombardment.

"The city no longer exists," said Nina, a young mother who fled Lysychansk to take refuge in the central city of Dnipro.

"It has practically been erased from the face of the earth. There is no humanitarian aid distribution center, it has been hit. The building that used to house the center no longer exists. Just like many of our homes," he continued.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops on Tuesday took up a new line of defense in Donetsk, where they still control major cities, as President Putin told his troops to "really rest and restore their military readiness", with units in other areas continue to fight.

Separately, Russian troops opened fire on the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk overnight, according to Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of Donetsk.

"They are now also the main line of attack of the enemy. There is no safe place without shelling in the Donetsk region," he explained of the towns.

Since the beginning of the conflict, Russia has demanded that Ukraine hand over Lugansk and Donetsk to pro-Moscow separatists, who have declared independent states.

"This is the last victory for Russia on Ukrainian territory," Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said in a video posted online.

"These are medium-sized cities. And it lasts from April 4 to July 4, it's 90 days. So much to lose."

Arestovych further said, in addition to fighting for Donetsk, Ukraine hopes to launch a counter-offensive in the south of the country.

"Taking cities in the east means that 60 percent of Russian troops are now concentrated in the east and it is difficult for them to be directed to the south," he said.

"And no more power can be brought in from Russia. They paid a heavy price for Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk."

Some military experts argue that a hard-won victory brought little strategic advantage to Russian troops, and the outcome of the so-called "battle of Donbas" remained in the balance.

"I think it's a tactical victory for Russia but at a huge cost," said Neil Melvin of the RUSI think tank in London. He compared the battle to a major battle for the slight territorial advantage that characterized the First World War.

"It took 60 days to make very slow progress. Russia may declare some sort of victory, but the key war battles are yet to come."

Melvin said the decisive battle for Ukraine would likely take place not in the east, where Russia is stepping up its main offensive, but in the south, where Ukraine has begun a counter-offensive to retake territory.

"This is where we see Ukraine making progress around Kherson. There is a counter-attack starting there and I think we will most likely see momentum swinging into Ukraine as it tries to then launch a large-scale counter-attack to push Russia back," he said.

Yesterday, President Zelensky said, despite Ukraine's withdrawal from Lysychansk, his troops continued to fight.

"Ukrainian armed forces are responding, pushing back and destroying the offensive potential of the invaders day by day," President Zelenskiy said in a video message late in the evening.

"We need to destroy it. It's a difficult task. It takes time and superhuman effort. But we have no alternative."

To note, the battle for Lugansk is the closest Moscow has come to achieving any of its goals since its troops were defeated in an attempt to seize Kyiv in March. It marked Russia's biggest victory since capturing the southern port of Mariupol in late May.