A fire breaks out in an oil refinery on the outskirts of Lysychansk, following an attack by Russian forces. Photo: AFP
On Saturday, Russia launched its final offensive on Lysychansk, the twin city of Severodonetsk, the last occupation outpost of Lugansk in eastern Ukraine, where fierce fighting is underway.
The Russian-backed separatists claimed on Saturday that they had “totally” surrounded Lysychansk, although the Ukrainian army immediately came out to deny it and claimed to have kept the eastern city under its control, which had turned into a bloody camp of battle.
“Today the Lugansk People’s Militia (breakaway army) and the Russian armed forces have occupied the last high strategic positions, which allows us to say that the city of Lysychansk is completely surrounded,” said a representative of the Lugansk separatist army. , Andrei Marochko, quoted by the Russian agency TASS.
In turn, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who is fighting for Russia, said that “the unity of the allied forces is already in the center of Lysychansk”, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.
Destruction in the city of Lysychansk, besieged by Russian troops. Photo: AFP
Day 129 of the war: Russian attacks continue around Lisichansk and the Donetsk region
“Lysychansk is ours! Allied units are already in the central part of the city,” Kadyrov wrote on his Telegram channel, specifying that the city has been “cleared” of Ukrainian units and mines.
“Our fighters are using new techniques to storm the neighborhoods of the city, which are giving excellent results,” he boasted.
denial of Kiev
That report, however, he was immediately denied by the Ukrainian army.
“The fighting is intense around Lysychansk. Fortunately, the city is not surrounded and is under the control of the Ukrainian army,” said Ukrainian National Guard spokesman Ruslan Muzychuk.
The advance of Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. Photo: AFP
Lysychansk is the last major city in the Lugansk region controlled by the Ukrainian army.
Its sister city, Severodonetsk, from which it is separated by a river, fell to the Russians last week after Ukrainian troops withdrew after weeks of fighting.
The capture of Lysychansk would allow Russian troops to advance towards Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, two other important cities in the Donbas industrial region. that Moscow wants to conquer entirely.
A spokesman for Ukrainian forces, Ruslan Muzychuk, explained that fierce fighting is taking place near Lysychansk.
“In recent days, as can be seen from the reports of the General Staff, the situation has been more difficult in the areas of Lysychansk, Bakhmutsk and in the Kharkov region. In Sloviansk the enemy is trying to conduct assault operations, to improve their position tactics, “the soldier expanded.
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Source: Clarin
