Russia's invasion of Ukraine enters 100th day as fighting rages

A Ukrainian flag waves over a house destroyed by shelling in the village of Moshchun, Kyiv region, on June 2, 2022

Ukraine marked 100 days since Russia's invasion on Friday with fighting raging across the east of the country, where Moscow's forces are tightening their grip on the Donbas region.

The sombre milestone came as Kyiv announced Moscow was now in control of a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and parts of Donbas seized in 2014.

Some of the fiercest fighting is now centred on Severodonetsk in the Donbas region, 80 percent of which the Russians have seized, but Ukrainian forces are putting up stiff resistance.

"But it is still too early. It is the toughest area at the moment," he added.

"But we are only getting stronger. Hatred of the enemy and faith in our victory make us unbreakable."

Severodonetsk's Azot factory, one of Europe's biggest chemical plants, was targeted by Russian soldiers who fired on one of its administrative buildings and a warehouse where methanol was stored.

Ukrainian troops were still holding an industrial zone, Gaiday said, a situation reminiscent of Mariupol, where a huge steelworks was the southeastern port city's last holdout until Ukrainian troops finally surrendered in late May.

About 60 percent of infrastructure and housing had been destroyed, while internet, mobile network and gas services had been knocked out, said the city's mayor Oleksandr Zaika.

In the city of Sloviansk, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Severodonetsk, residents said there were constant bombardments by Russian troops. 

"Shooting is everywhere, it's scary. No water, electricity or gas," she said.

- Financial squeeze -

Bridget Brink, the new US ambassador to Kyiv, promised Thursday that the United States would "help Ukraine prevail against Russian aggression," after presenting her credentials to Zelensky.

The mobile units can simultaneously fire multiple precision-guided munitions at targets up to 80 kilometres away.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Washington of "adding fuel to the fire," although US officials insist Ukraine has promised not to use them to strike inside Russia.

Ramping up an already long list of embargoes, the United States blacklisted Putin's money manager and a Monaco company that provides luxury yachts to Moscow's elite.

- Oil move disappoints -

Major crude producers agreed to boost output by about 50 percent more a month in an effort to calm an overheated market and ease pressure on inflation.

The war risks triggering a global food crisis, as Ukraine is one of the world's top grain producers.

The head of the African Union, Senegalese President Macky Sall, is to visit Russia on Friday for talks with Putin.

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Originally published as Russia's invasion of Ukraine enters 100th day as fighting rages