Russian forces are besieging the city of Severodonetsk, eastern Ukraine, in an attempt to control the entire Lugansk province.
Lugansk Governor Serhiy Gaidai on May 27 announced the force Russia “encircled 2/3 of Severodonetsk” and 90% of the buildings in the city were destroyed. Force Ukraine still controls the city of Severodonetsk, west of Lugansk Oblast and across from Lysychansk River Siverskiy Donets.
A day earlier, Colonel Andrey Marochko of the armed forces of the Lugangsk Republic (LPR) announced that his units surrounded the city of Severodonetsk on three sides.
“There is only one bridge left to serve moving in and out of Severodonetsk. This bridge is within our range, so it can be said that the city is under siege,” said Mr. Marochko.
T-80 tanks belonging to the armed units of the self-proclaimed Lugangsk Republic near the village of Toshkovka, southwest of the city of Severodonetsk, Ukraine May 23. Image: RIA Novosti.
Russian forces stepped up their offensive in Severodonetsk after breaking through the defenses of Ukrainian forces to the south in the town of Popasnaya last weekend. Oleksandr Striuk, head of the Severodonetsk military government, announced that “heavy fighting is taking place in the city”.
One of the hot spots of fighting in Severodonetsk is the Mir hotel. The Ukrainian side said that “an enemy reconnaissance group infiltrated the Mir hotel on May 26, our armed forces fought back”. Ukrainian forces then tried to regain control of the Mir hotel, but were unsuccessful.
Serhiy Hayday, head of the military government of Lugansk province, said Russian forces shelled heavily around Severodonetsk and Lysychansk as they advanced from the towns of Purdivka and Shchedryshchevo. A police station in Lysychansk caught fire after shelling, 50 buildings in this city were damaged.
Location of the city of Severodonetsk in eastern Ukraine. Graphics: BBC.
Russia launched a special military operation on February 24 to “demilitarize and de-fascist Ukraine”. After more than three months of operation, Russian forces are assessed to be moving deeper into the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine slowly and surely.
After taking control of the port city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine, Russia and the separatists pushed their forces north. One of Russia’s top targets is the city of Severodonetsk in an attempt to take full control of the Lugansk province in eastern Ukraine.
After taking control of Severodonetsk, Russian forces could have an important springboard to advance westward and target Kramatorsk, where Ukraine’s Donbass regional military command is located. Ukrainian officials warn Severodonetsk risks the same fate as Mariupol.
Nguyen Tien (Follow CNN, RIA Novosti)
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