“We talked about the defense plan and the forces and means under the control of the city. The situation is changing, so our defense strategies also need changes and updates,” Sadovy said, according to Pravda. “A defense headquarters will be established in each district of the city and additional training will be conducted for members of the volunteer territorial defense formations. Until we move them to 24-hour duty. But this decision can be changed at any time.” And even though it’s just reaching the height of summer, Sadovy is already telling his staff and residents to be prepared for a long, cold winter with no gas space heating. “We continue to form a strategic stockpile of products in case supply routes are blocked,” the mayor said. Then there are other things to consider, such as which residents will help fight off any attacks, be it from Moscow or Minsk. “We are also looking at the option of forming volunteer reserve battalions from council and community business employees,” Sandovy said. Lviv is preparing for an attack from Belarus. Here, Ukrainian troops line up to pay their last respects in front of City Hall during a funeral as the Ukrainian military buries with full military honors three of its soldiers, each of whom died fighting the Russian invasion forces at fronts across the country. Saints Peter and Paul Garrison Church in Lviv, Ukraine on June 18, 2022. Photo by Scott Peterson/Getty Images This comes during a week in which Russia fully captured Severodonetsk in the eastern Luhansk region and has now escalated fighting in nearby Lysychansk, which is a few miles away and south of the Siverskyi Donets River. Lysychansk is on higher ground than Severodonetsk, which gives some Ukrainians some hope in these battles. Severodonetsk had a population of 100,000 before the war began in February, but many have fled since Russia began its assault on the city. There were hundreds of residents who have taken refuge in the Azot chemical plant. Stryuk said many have begun to evacuate the plant and will likely need medical attention and psychological support. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that Russia was trying to break his country’s spirit, as evidenced by its bombardment of Ukraine with 48 rockets in one day. Zelensky’s government said Belarus had already launched attacks against his country, reportedly just seven days ago. “This is the first case of an airstrike across Ukraine directly from the territory of Belarus,” Ukraine’s defense minister said on June 25. “Today’s bombing is directly related to the efforts of the Kremlin authorities to drag Belarus into the war in Ukraine as a direct participant.” Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko this year, mainly to strengthen their relationship as the war could potentially extend beyond Ukrainian borders. Lukashenko has warned any countries from abroad that want to escalate the war “to refrain from arms procurement, from information warfare and any provocations, from fueling hate speech in the media, from promoting racism and discrimination on national grounds, cultural, linguistic and religious affiliation, from the legalization and sending of mercenaries”.
