The city is located in the north of Donetsk Oblast and is a railway hub in the area. It also provides access to important bridges over the river Severskyj Donets. In the coming days, Russian units will probably prioritize crossing the river, it is said in a message from the British Ministry of Defense. Russian authorities say the same thing, that their forces have now taken control of Lyman. The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed on Saturday that Russian-backed separatists now control the city with around 20,000 inhabitants. Fear of being surrounded There is a fear that the same thing could happen in several cities in the Donbas as in Mariupol, where Ukrainian forces were surrounded. The photo shows a soldier from the Azov Brigade in Mariupol on 10 May. Photo: Dmytro ‘Orest’ Kozatskyi / AP Ukraine may have to withdraw forces from several areas in the east of the country as the Russians make progress, writes Reuters. There are fears that Ukrainian forces will be surrounded in both Luhansk and Donetsk counties, which make up the Donbas region. In the worst case, the last soldiers standing in Luhansk could end up as those who remained in the besieged city of Mariupol for weeks before finally surrendering, writes the Associated Press. Putin approaches sub-target A Ukrainian withdrawal will bring Russia and President Vladimir Putin closer to the goal of capturing the entire Donbas region. This is where a large part of Ukraine’s mining and heavy industry is located. This is where the Russian authorities and military have cooperated and supported separatists since 2014. A spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense, Igor Konashenkov, can report several Russian victories this week. Photo: – / AFP Russian forces have made progress in cities in the counties of Luhansk and Donetsk while bombing villages to ruins. “The Russian forces have slowly but surely made significant progress during the fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine in recent days,” writes the Institute for the Study of War in the United States. – This is happening even though the Ukrainian defense in general is still effective, it is stated in the analysis reproduced by NTB. Troubled leaders in Ukraine According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, Russia is now using everything it has of heavy guns and soldiers in the Donbas, where Ukrainian forces are “doing everything” to repel them. President Volodymyr Zelensky is concerned and acknowledges that Russian forces have taken control of several places in the Donbas. Photo: GENYA SAVILOV / AFP – We protect our country as our current defense resources allow. We are also doing everything to increase resources, he said in a video speech on Saturday night. At a press conference on Thursday, the Deputy Minister of Defense admitted that the situation is dramatic for the Ukrainian forces in several places in the east of the country. – The fighting has reached an intensity like never before. The enemy attacks our positions in several places at once. We are in a difficult phase of the war, a war that will last a long time, said Hanna Maliar. – The enemy has an advantage Together with the Deputy Minister of Defense on the podium stood General Oleksiy Hromov. He is the deputy commander of the ongoing military operations. He acknowledged by Russian forces has the upper hand in Donetsk. – The enemy has an advantage right now, both by using artillery and fighter jets. But we do everything we can, said the general. The president also commented on the Russians’ superiority on Thursday. “The Ukrainian military forces, our intelligence and all those who defend our country are resisting the extremely powerful attacks from the Russian forces in the east,” Zelensky said. – In some areas, the enemy is completely superior both in terms of military equipment and the number of soldiers. Fighting in the largest city in the Donbas On Saturday, there were also new attacks on the city of Sievjerodonetsk, the largest city in the region. The news agencies report that the city is still under Ukrainian control but that it is about to be surrounded. The photo shows Ukrainian soldiers in Sevierodonetsk on April 16. Today there are fierce battles in the city and Russian forces will prosper. Photo: SERHII NUZHNENKO / Reuters According to the governor of Luhansk province, Serhij Hajdaj, Russian forces have all invaded Sevierodonetsk, where there is major destruction and 90 percent of the population is said to have fled. “The Russians will not be able to take over all of Luhansk in the next few days, as analysts have predicted,” the governor said. – We want enough strength and resources to defend ourselves. However, it is possible that, to avoid being surrounded, we will have to retreat, writes Hajdaj on Telegram. Several Russian victories this week The industrial city of Svitlodarsk in the Donbas in eastern Ukraine was captured by Russian forces earlier this week. On Monday, Ukrainian forces reportedly left their positions in and around the city in a hurry. The next day, photos from the city were posted. They show soldiers from the Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas in the streets of Svitlodarsk. Soldiers from the Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas photographed on the street in Svitlodarsk on 25 May. Photo: ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO / Reuters At the same time, the Ukrainian flag was exchanged for the Russian flag on the city’s administration building. The head of the military administration in Donetsk Oblast, Pavlo Kirilenko, said it was very difficult to defend Svitlodarsk. This is because the city was in practice surrounded by Russian forces on three sides. Therefore, the decision was made to leave the city with around 10,000 inhabitants. The city is built around the giant coal power plant Vuhlehirska Power Station. This too is now under the control of the Russian forces. The conquest of Svitlodarsk earlier this week and Lyman are among the biggest victories of the Russian forces during the three-month offensive in Ukraine.
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Russian forces take important city – Ukraine considers withdrawal – NRK Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
