Ukraine’s military warned residents on April 28 that Russia was increasing its attacks across the country in “almost all directions.”
In a statement, Ukraine’s general staff said Russia was stepping up its heaviest military assault in the eastern portion of the country.
“The enemy is increasing the pace of the offensive operation. The Russian occupiers are exerting intense fire in almost all directions,” the military said on April 28.
“Russian occupiers continue to suffer losses on land,” the statement said. “In the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts only, six enemy attacks have been repulsed in the past 24 hours, five tanks, one artillery system, 22 armored vehicles, one car, and one anti-aircraft gun have been destroyed.”
On April 28, U.S. President Joe Biden called on Congress to approve a $33 billion aid package to Ukraine. The funding is needed, he said, so that Ukrainians can continue to stave off Russia’s forces amid its two-month-long invasion.
During his speech, Biden stressed that the United States isn’t attacking Russia. Instead, the United States is “helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression,” he said. Previously, Biden announced that no U.S. troops would be deployed in Ukraine to fight against Russian forces.
Ahead of Biden’s speech, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova told Russian media that Russia would retaliate against any countries that intervene on Ukraine’s behalf. She didn’t elaborate on what actions Moscow could take or what actions would trigger a response.
“All the measures that they will take, even of such an idiotic nature, they will be developed and continued,” Zakharova said on April 28. “We ... do not leave anything unanswered, and they must understand this,” she added, referring to the Biden administration.
Western countries have ramped up weapons deliveries to Ukraine in recent days as the fighting in the east of the country has intensified. More than 40 countries met this week at a U.S. air base in Germany and pledged to send heavy arms such as artillery for what is expected to be a vast battle of opposing armies along a heavily fortified front line on open, flat terrain.
Washington now says it hopes Ukrainian forces can not only repel Russia’s assault on the east, but also weaken its military. Russia says that amounts to NATO waging “proxy war” against it, and has made a number of threats this week of unspecified retaliation.
Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that if Western countries intervened in the conflict, Moscow would issue a “lightning-fast” response.
