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Russian occupation forces have intensified their offensive on the Sloviansk axis in Ukraine’s Donetsk region and are attempting to advance toward the city, military and political analyst Dmytro Snihyrov said during a broadcast on the FREEДОМ TV channel, UATV English informs.
According to Snihyrov, Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed that Russian forces are already 8 kilometers from Sloviansk, while in reality the city remains 18 kilometers from the current front line.
“Why are they pushing specifically toward Sloviansk? Sloviansk is home to the largest shale gas deposits in Europe. Therefore, the main objective of the fighting for the Sloviansk–Kramatorsk agglomeration is not to capture industrial facilities or cities in the traditional sense. They are not interested in them. They are interested exclusively in natural resources. Their key goal is to prevent Ukraine from developing its shale gas reserves in the future and achieving energy independence from the Russian Federation,” Snihyrov explained.
According to the analyst, this is why Putin says Russia will continue the war until it achieves its tactical objectives—namely, full control over the territory of the Donetsk region.
“I want to stress once again: this is not a war for territory. It is a war for natural resources. In Russia’s view, it is a war that would allow it to keep Ukraine dependent—if not militarily or politically, then through economic leverage. Control over coking coal deposits means control over the Pokrovsk area. Control over shale gas deposits means control over the Sloviansk area,” he concluded.
As previously reported, Russian forces have stepped up assault operations south of Lyman in an effort to advance toward Sloviansk.
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