Ukraine says Russia preparing to attack country's eastern region soon

Amid the intense fighting with Russian troops in Mariupol, Ukrainian defence ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk has said that Ukraine is expecting Russia to launch a major offensive in the east of the country "soon", AFP reported.

"The enemy has almost finished preparation for assault on the east, the attack will begin soon," he said.

The military official said he believed Moscow is planning to create a "land corridor" in the Kherson region, north of Crimea, which it controls.

He also said that a renewed Russian attack on Kyiv "depends on fighting" in the eastern regions.

Notably, the Russian-backed rebels of Donetsk will intensify their battle against Ukrainian forces, the head of the Donetsk rebel region was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency on Monday.

"Now the operation will be intensified," Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, was quoted as saying by RIA.

Meanwhile, Russia today destroyed S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems which had been supplied to Ukraine by a European country, Russia’s defence ministry said on Monday. The ministry said that Russian sea-launched Kalibr missiles on Sunday destroyed four S-300 launchers which were concealed in a hangar on the outskirts of the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, news agency Reuters reported.

Accusing Moscow of atrocities and brutality against the citizens of Mariupol, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Russia on Monday saying that tens of thousands of people have likely been killed in Russia's assault on the southeastern city of Mariupol.

(with agency inputs)