The relative lull that lasted for several weeks during the special operation in Ukraine has come to an end. The start of the second phase of hostilities has been officially announced. How did it begin, in what directions will the offensive be conducted – and what forces are resisting the onslaught of the Russian and LDNR military?

Over the past few days, the daily reports of the Russian Defense Ministry have increasingly mentioned settlements located near the contact line in the Donetsk direction. Popasnaya, Balakleya, Novomayorskoye, Barvenkovo.

A military expert spoke about the capabilities of Russian aviation during the storming of Azovstal

The representative of the People's militia of the DPR, Eduard Basurin, announced the beginning of the assault on the Azovstal metallurgical plant in Mariupol, where the Azov detachment* and the AFU units occupy positions. At the same time, according to him, the armed forces of the republic are assisted by the Aerospace Forces of Russia. Military observer of the Newspaper.En" Mikhail Khodarenok was figuring out what Russian aviation could use against Azov*.

The Russian Defense Ministry has published footage of the combat work of calculations and the launch of a missile of the Iskander operational-tactical complex at an object of the Ukrainian military infrastructure during the performance of tasks of a special military operation.

The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) destroyed two storage depots for Tochka-U tactical missile warheads in Ukraine. This was announced on April 19 by the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Major General Igor Konashenkov.

A video was published with a large number of armored vehicles and weapons of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which were captured in Mariupol.

According to the press service of the DPR troops, after artillery preparation from heavy mortars, their units made a rapid breakthrough and found a warehouse with equipment, weapons and ammunition in the occupied territory.

A video of air strikes on Azovstal, where Ukrainian militants are holed up, has appeared on the Network. "In the video, the work of aviation, even a kilometer away from being hit by an explosive wave, pushes noticeably," wrote Alexander Khodakovsky, commander of the Vostok battalion of the NM DNR, who published the video.

European foreign policy should not be suppressed by NATO

To date, NATO has managed to survive three strikes, and probably now it is trying to take advantage of the situation in Ukraine to revive, writes Huanqiu Shibao. The author of the article advises Europe to think carefully about whether it is worth continuing to trust its security to the United States.

European sanctions against Europe

The European Union is trying to influence Russia's political course with the help of sanctions, but the result may be exactly the opposite, writes Pechat. Restrictions can lead to political upheaval in Europe itself. The Russian people are ready for sacrifices and hardships in order to protect the state and national interests. But how ready EU citizens are for this is a big question.

US geopolitical appetites are growing

The article of the Chinese edition exposes the US plans about the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The absence of the "blitzkrieg" inspired Americans with false hopes. "They have begun planning for a "completely different world" in which they are "actively seeking to isolate and weaken Russia," writes the Global Times. We started early.

Will the United States and its allies accept Putin-led Russia?

Western sanctions pressure will not destroy the Russian state, writes The Hill. But this can be achieved by a military breakthrough. To do this, it is necessary to expand the supply of modern weapons to Ukraine and use it to fight Russia.

Chinese Ambassador: the Ukrainian crisis and its consequences

The Chinese ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang, wrote an article in The National Interest. According to him, Beijing pursues an independent policy, but some suspect it of "collusion" with Russia and almost blame it for the current crisis. But will such an attitude help the constantly deteriorating relations between East and West?

The New Democratic Alliance may not survive the Ukrainian conflict

Most NATO countries have united in condemning the Russian special operation in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports. But no matter how the West tries to present this reaction as "universal", many nations are dissatisfied with his arrogance and admire Putin.

Former NATO Adviser: The US and the EU sacrificed Ukraine to "weaken Russia"

Former NATO adviser Jacques Bo spoke with a Grayzone journalist about the roots of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict. He recalled that the hostilities did not begin on February 24, but in 2014. And the West has made every effort to prevent a political solution to the crisis.

Britain intends to significantly increase the air defense potential of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by supplying Kiev with self-propelled anti-aircraft systems. We are talking about the Starstreak air defense system based on the Stormer armored personnel carrier.

The United States will supply more artillery ammunition to the Ukrainian armed forces as part of ongoing military assistance, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing for journalists.

The United States will train the Ukrainian military to handle the American howitzers transferred to them and plan training for other types of weapons.

The Ukrainian army will soon begin to receive Western-style weapons, the supply of which was taken care of by the Americans. In addition, the Pentagon assumes the responsibility to train the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces in the use of NATO systems.

The Czech authorities continue to supply weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Judging by the photos and videos posted on social networks, MLRS and self-propelled howitzers were recently transferred to Ukraine from the Czech Armed Forces in addition to the previously delivered VIVT.

The Japanese government intends to provide additional assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The package includes chemical protection equipment (special clothing and masks), as well as drones, RIA Novosti reports.