Russia is using scorched earth tactic in Donetsk Region because it is not achieving the expected results on the battlefield, the head of the Donetsk regional military administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko, has said at an online briefing, Voice of America reports.
"Without the success they expected on the frontline, the Russian Federation is simply demonstrating to the whole world and Ukraine its inhumanity, and that for them any rules of war, international conventions are simply unwritten, that they have not and will not comply with them. And these are their anger and inability to achieve results that are manifested in the fact that they are destroying civilian towns along the front line. In fact, the entire front line in Donetsk region has been destroyed, as well as the cities that are relatively remote from the front line. The settlements are small, and they are being destroyed by the Russian Federation using all types of weapons it has," Kyrylenko said.
According to him, about 81,500 private residential buildings have been destroyed in Donetsk region, and 5,400 apartment buildings have been either completely destroyed or partially damaged. In addition, he said, more than 1,300 social infrastructure facilities (hospitals, schools, kindergartens and other educational institutions) and 90 transport infrastructure facilities (bridges, road junctions and crossings) have been destroyed in Donetsk Region.
"This is actually the largest number of destructions in Ukraine that the war has brought to Donetsk Region. Donetsk Region is a key outpost that holds back the enemy," he said.
He noted that the most intense fighting in Donetsk Region is currently taking place in the Bakhmut, Maryinka-Vuhledar and Lyman sectors.
"These are the hottest areas, but they have different trends. In the Bakhmut sector, the fighting is already offensive, in the Lyman sector it is defensive, and in the Maryinka-Vuhledar sector it is also offensive. Where I use the word 'offensive', I mean offensive actions by the Armed Forces of Ukraine," said Kyrylenko.
He added that the Ukrainian government controls 51 per cent of the territory of Donetsk Region, which is still home to 492,000 people.