EXPLAINER: How Russia’s eastern push in Ukraine may unfold

By The Associated Press

Russia’s new offensive in eastern Ukraine reflects Moscow’s hope to reverse its battlefield fortunes after a catastrophic seven weeks of war. Russian forces have intensified artillery barrages and airstrikes on Ukrainian positions in the industrial heartland known as the Donbas. Ukrainian officials said the push began Monday, with Russia trying to press the offensive along an arc-shaped front line for more than 300 miles (480 kilometers) from the northeast to the southeast. In what appeared to be a sharp increase in bombardment Tuesday, Russia said that in the last 24 hours, it struck 60 Ukrainian military facilities with its warplanes and 1,260 with its artillery, while attacking 1,214 troop concentrations. The claims could not be independently confirmed.