Russia begins long-feared offensive in Ukraine's east

Russia launched an all-out ground offensive to take control of eastern Ukraine late Monday, marking the long-feared start of a new phase of the nearly two-month-long war.

Ukrainian officials said Russian forces were attacking along a nearly 300-mile front in the disputed Donbas region, the predominately Russian-speaking industrial heartland of Ukraine's east, where Russia-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian soldiers since 2014 and have declared two independent republics recognized by Moscow.

"Russian troops have begun the battle for Donbas, for which they have been preparing for a long time," Ukrainian President Volodymyr...