Russia Begins Offensive In Ukraine As Zelenskyy Raises Concern Over Impact Of Iran Conflict

Last Updated:March 22, 2026, 21:40 IST

Russia launches larger mechanized offensive near Lyman in Donetsk while Ukraine says attacks are thwarted as Oleksandr Syrskyi and Volodymyr Zelenskyy warn of long war.

Russian forces have started an offensive in eastern Ukraine by using dozens of tanks and armored vehicles, according to the Ukrainian military and analysts.

CNN quoted Ukrainian military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi saying, “With changing weather conditions, the Russian aggressor has stepped up pressure across several sections of the front."

“For several days running, the number of combat engagements has exceeded 200," he added while claiming that the Russians were losing more than 1,000 soldiers a day.

This comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he has a “very bad feeling" about the consequences of the West Asia conflict for his country.

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“You see that our diplomatic meetings, trilateral meetings, are constantly postponed. There is one reason: war in Iran," he told the BBC in an interview. “Putin will want a long war. For Putin, a long war in Iran is a plus."

According to CNN, one focus of Russian attacks has been the town of Lyman in Donetsk, at the edge of what’s known as Ukraine’s fortress belt in the region, and a key strongpoint guarding the larger city of Sloviansk.

“Active troop movements, reinforced artillery, tactical aviation and the widespread use of UAVs (drones) are being observed across all sectors, indicating that the Russian army is preparing for a further offensive," Dmytro Zaporozhets of Ukraine’s 11th Corps told Ukrainian broadcaster Suspilne.

CNN quoted Ukraine’s Third Corps saying that the Russians had used nearly 30 armored vehicles along with more than 500 infantry in the area. However, the Russian “attacks were thwarted on all fronts," said the Corps’ commander, Brig. Gen. Andriy Biletsky.

According to Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), “This battalion-sized assault is considerably larger than most Russian mechanized assaults in recent months."

News world Russia Begins Offensive In Ukraine As Zelenskyy Raises Concern Over Impact Of Iran Conflict

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