Ukraine said Sunday its forces controlled half of Severodonetsk, as Kyiv's military pushes back Russia's attempt to take the eastern city, key to the battle for the Donbas region.
But Luhansk's regional governor Sergiy Gaiday said they expected a major counter-attack from Russian forces in the coming days.
"Our armed forces have cleaned half" of the industrial hub of Russian troops, Gaiday said in an interview posted on his official social media channels.
"Half of the city is actually controlled by our forces."
Severodonetsk is the largest city still in Ukrainian hands in the Luhansk region, which is part of Donbas. Russian forces have been gradually advancing there in recent weeks after having retreated or been pushed back from other areas, including around the capital Kyiv.
After being pushed back by a Russian offensive on the city, Ukrainian troops have steadily clawed back ground there.
Gaiday said that Russian forces had been tasked with gaining control of the city by Friday, as well as a key transport artery connecting two other nearby cities, Lysychansk and Bakhmut.
"We expect in the near future that all the reserves that they now have access to — all the reserves, all the personnel that they have — they will throw to perform these two tasks," Gaiday said.
"In the next five days, there will be a large increase in the number of shellings from heavy artillery," from the Russian side.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
