Russian forces on Tuesday continued their new offensive in eastern Ukraine after launching attacks on cities and towns along a 300-mile front with renewed focus on the Donbas region.

Both Ukrainian and Russian officials acknowledged Tuesday the war had entered a new phase. Ukraine’s military said “the occupiers made an attempt to break through our defenses along nearly the entire frontline,” while Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said the goal was “full liberation” in Donetsk and Luhansk.

Ukrainian officials reported a new barrage of attacks Monday, including in the town of Kreminna. Luhansk regional military administrator Serhiy Haidai said on Ukrainian TV that Russians took control of the city after “leveling everything to the ground,” and that evacuations were impossible. Russian shelling also continued near Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro.

In recent days, Russia has reinforced its invading force in Ukraine, adding about 11 battalion tactical groups and as many as 11,000 troops, said a senior U.S. Defense Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe intelligence assessments.

Russian forces completely retreated from central Kyiv in early April. That, in addition to other intelligence, led many western leaders to believe Russian President Vladimir Putin was refocusing his offensive into the Donbas region.

Before the invasion, portions of Donbas had been controlled by Russian-backed forces. Putin signed decrees recognizing the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, both part of Donbas, and ordered military action there just before Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. 

RUSSIA’S ARSENAL: What weapons are being used in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? 

USA TODAY ON TELEGRAM:Join our new Russia-Ukraine war channel

Latest developments:

►Luhansk regional military administrator Serhiy Haidai said Tuesday that about 70,000 civilians remain in the region as Russian attacks have ratcheted up this week.