Battle for Severodonetsk hits Ukrainian city streets

Intense fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces broke out on the streets of the industrial city of Severodonetsk on Monday in a crucial battle for advantage in eastern Ukraine, the provincial governor said.

Ukrainian defenders over the weekend regained control of about half of the city, just as the Russians appeared on the verge of victory.

But his position became more dangerous again on Monday morning, Luhansk Governor Serhiy Gaidai told state television.

“Our defenders managed to carry out a counterattack for a certain time, they liberated almost half of the city. But now the situation has worsened for us again,” Gaidai said.

Ukrainian forces were holding positions in the Severodonetsk industrial zone, he said.

Both sides say they have inflicted massive casualties in Severodonetsk, the largest city in Luhansk province still controlled by Ukraine.

The municipality has become the main target of a Russian offensive in Ukraine’s Donbass region – made up of Luhansk and Donetsk provinces – as Russia’s invasion of the country continues in a war of attrition that has seen entire cities ravaged by Russian artillery shelling. .

Russia says it is on a mission to “liberate” Donbass after Ukraine repelled its troops from the capital Kiev and Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, in the early stages of the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy sought to rally his troops on Sunday with a visit to two towns near the front lines.

“What you all deserve is victory – that’s the most important thing. But not at any cost,” Zelenskiy, wearing his trademark khaki shirt, declared in a video.

Zelenskiy said he had traveled to Lysychansk, south of Severodonetsk, and Soledar — rare trips for him outside Kiev since the start of the Russian invasion on Feb. 24.

In good news for Kiev, the UK said on Monday it will supply Ukraine with multiple-launch rocket systems that can hit targets up to 80 kilometers away. The systems would give the Ukrainians more precise long-range firepower to hit Russian artillery units, a key component of Moscow’s battle plans.

The British move was coordinated with the United States, which last week pledged to supply Kiev with advanced rocket systems.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the US on Sunday that Russia will strike new targets if the West supplies Ukraine with long-range missiles.

Russia attacked Kiev with missiles for the first time in more than a month on Sunday. Ukraine said the attack hit a rail car repair work, while Moscow said it destroyed tanks sent by Eastern European countries to Ukraine.

Source: CNN Brasil

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