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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that the defenders of the city of Sievierodonetsk were inflicting heavy losses on Russian troops during what he called a very fierce and extremely difficult battle.
“The fate of Donbas is decided thereMr Zelenskiy said in an online speech.
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian forces fighting in Sievierodonetsk warned of a possible withdrawal, but regional governor Serhiy Haidai insisted they were still fighting for every inch of the city.
The battle on the streets of Sievierodonetsk, a key city in the east of the country, is evidence of a grueling advance by Russian forces as they try to take full control of Luhansk.
After a hard-fought attempt to occupy Kiev in the early days of the war, Russia changed its focus, focusing on the Donbas region. The region has been partially controlled by Russian-backed separatists for years, which has allowed Moscow to use separatist forces to support its offensive. But on the other hand Russia is facing experienced Ukrainian troops, who have fought against the separatists for eight years in the region.
The result is a slow advance by both sides exchanging artillery shells that seemingly inflicting heavy losses, but without providing clarity as to which side is gaining ground.
Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai on Wednesday acknowledged the difficulties for Ukrainian troops in Sievierodonetsk. He told the Associated Press that the troops might have to be withdrawn, but added that the battle for the city was ongoing.
According to Mr. Haidai, Ukrainian forces can be withdrawn to positions that are easier to defend. The town across the river, Lysychansku, lies on a mountainous terrain.
Sievierodonetsku became the administrative capital of the region after the city of Luhansk was occupied by the separatists in 2014. Both this city and Lysychansku are under pressure from Russian forces in the east, north and south, and are among several Luhansk cities that still continue to resist.
The Kremlin claims that its forces control almost the entire Luhansk region and about half of the Donetsk region, which surrounds the Donbas.
Meanwhile in the north of the country, Russian forces killed five people and wounded 12 others in the last 24 hours, after hitting the Kharkiv region with artillery. The news was announced on Wednesday by regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.
The Russian military announced today that it had used “high-precision missiles” to hit an armored car repair plant near Kharkiv, which has not been confirmed by Ukrainian officials.
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