The Russian army has intensified air and ground attacks on Severodonetsk and Lisichansk, the main cities of the Lugansk region in eastern Ukraine, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced on Friday.
“Russian troops continue offensive operations in the eastern operational zone to gain full control of the regions of Donetsk Y Lugansk“said the General Staff of Ukraine, on the social network Facebook.
The Russia”used tanks, mortars, cannons and artillery rockets near places like Lisichansk, Severodonetsk, Bila Hora, Vovchoiarivka, Spirne and Berestove,” according to the report, which also mentions airstrikes.
The Russians have been besieging the strategic city of Severodonetsk for weeks, where hundreds of civilians and soldiers are taking refuge in the facilities of the Azot chemical complex.
Moscow troops are also trying to control the nearby city of Lisichanskto try to completely dominate the Luhansk region, where the pro-Russian guerrillas operate, as well as in the neighboring Donetsk area.
In Donetsk, the fiercest fight is for control of sloviansksaid the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Russians want to “maintain a land corridor” between eastern Ukraine and Crimeaa peninsula occupied by Moscow since 2014 and that “blocks Ukraine’s shipping routes in the northwestern part of the Black Sea,” explains the same document.
The Ukrainian General Staff added that Russia intends to control some of the occupied areas in Kherson Regionin the northwest and in the southern region of Zaporizhiawhere the largest European nuclear power plant is located, which already operates under Russian control.
In the northeast of Ukraine, the most affected area is the capital of the region, KharkivWhere “the Russians launched artillery attacks”said the report, which also indicated an increase in operations by “sabotage and reconnaissance” groups.
The Ukrainian General Staff also said that the Russians “are trying to demine the port area of Berdyanskin the Black Sea as part of logistics support efforts.”
Source: Observadora
