Ukrainian forces battling Russian troops in a key eastern city yesterday appeared to be on the cusp of retreat, although the regional governor said that they were still fighting “for every centimeter” of the city.
The urban battle for Severodonetsk testified to the painstaking, inch-by-inch advance by Russian forces as they close in on control of the entire Luhansk region, one of two that make up the industrial heartland known as the Donbas.
After a bungled attempt to overrun Kyiv in the early days of the war, Russia shifted its focus to the region of coal mines and factories.
Photo: AFP
The region has been partly controlled by Russia-backed separatists for years, making supply lines shorter and allowing Moscow to tap separatist forces to back its offensive.
However, Russia also faces Ukraine’s most battle-hardened troops, who have been fighting the separatists for eight years there.
The result is a slow slog, with both sides exchanging artillery barrages that seemingly inflict heavy losses and neither appearing to have the clear momentum.
Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said that there were difficulties in Severodonetsk, telling reporters: “Maybe we will have to retreat, but right now battles are ongoing in the city.”
Earlier, on the Telegram messaging app, he said that Ukrainian forces were fighting “for every centimeter of the city.”
He said that they might pull back to positions that are easier to defend.
The city across the river, Lysychansk, sits on higher ground.
Severodonetsk became the administrative capital of the region after the city of Luhansk was taken by separatists in 2014. It and Lysychansk are wedged between Russian forces to the east, north and south, and are among a few cities and towns in Luhansk still holding out.
The Kremlin has said that its forces are in control of nearly all of the Luhansk region and about half of the Donetsk region, which rounds out the Donbas.
Meanwhile, to the north, Russian shelling of the northern Kharkiv region killed five people and wounded 12, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
Russian military officials said that “air-launched, high-precision missiles” were used to hit a factory near Kharkiv that repairs armor.
There was no confirmation from Ukrainian officials of such a plant being hit.
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