News
Part of Severodonetsk “controlled” by Russia with troops “moving towards downtown,” Ukraine military official says
A part of the town of Severodonetsk in japanese Ukraine is “already managed by the Russian military” and Russian troops are “regularly shifting in the direction of downtown Severodonetsk,” Serhiy Hayday, head of Luhansk regional army administration mentioned on Tuesday.
However Hayday denied Russian studies that they’ve captured the entire metropolis.
“The scenario is extraordinarily difficult,” Hayday mentioned.
“Sadly, a part of Severodonetsk metropolis is already managed by the Russian military. They [the Russians] reported a few days in the past that they’d already captured all the metropolis. This isn’t the case, there are our guys within the metropolis. The Russians can’t transfer freely.”
Hayday mentioned he did not assume there was a danger troops would encircle Severodonetsk although preventing continues within the metropolis.
“The Russians don’t management the Lysychansk-Bakhmut route, however they’re shelling it,” Hayday added.
Civilians trapped and provides halted: Roughly 15,000 civilians stay in Severodonetsk metropolis, Hayday mentioned, and evacuation is now “suspended as a consequence of hazard.” They will solely ship humanitarian items to close by Lysychansk and Hirske to the south.
“Hundreds who stay within the metropolis are afraid of revenge or bloodbath for no cause,” Hayday mentioned, including that video clips of locals welcoming Russian troops have been “staged scenes.”
The army official mentioned the Russians are “planning a army operation to clear the world round Severodonetsk” with a battalion “being launched to go to the encircling villages” armed with heavy flamethrowers to “burn our army together with the civilian inhabitants.”
“They simply do not care,” he mentioned.
In close by Lysychansk: Two folks have been killed and three injured, Hayday mentioned, however “we have no idea what number of civilians have been killed” in Severodonetsk for the reason that Russian troops started coming into the town two days in the past.
The remainder of Luhansk area, managed by the Ukrainian authorities, is beneath shelling utterly,” Hayday mentioned.
Up to now 24 hours, “eight enemy assaults have been repulsed on the entrance of the area” and air protection items shot down an X-59MK cruise missile, Hayday mentioned.
In Slovyansk: Round 85 kilometers (52 miles) west of Severodonetsk, three folks have been killed and 6 injured after a Russian air strike hit a college and a number of other multi-story buildings in a single day, Vadym Liakh, head of the Slovyansk metropolis army administration, mentioned in a separate replace. He urged everybody to evacuate.