Ukraine withdraws troops, Eastern cities fall to Russian fire

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 Ukrainian forces are withdrawing from Severodonetsk, ceding the city to Russia and placing Lugansk province almost under Moscow's control after months of fierce fighting.


The last Ukrainian soldiers who fought in the eastern city of Severodonetsk have been ordered to withdraw to avoid encirclement in the face of overwhelming Russian firepower. About 12,000 civilians remain in Severodonetsk, out of a population of 160,000 before the conflict broke out.

Severodonetsk is one of the last major strongholds of Ukrainian forces in the Lugansk province. Lugansk Governor Serhiy Gaidai said on June 24 that the Ukrainian army made the decision to withdraw because of fears that the death toll could increase every day.

"There is no point in staying," Gaidai said.

Mr. Gaidai said Severodonetsk was "almost turned into rubble" due to the continuous shelling. "All vital infrastructure has been destroyed. 90% of the city is vandalized, 80% of the houses will have to be demolished," Mr. Gaidai added.

In recent weeks, fierce street fighting has pushed Ukrainian forces out of much of the city, leaving them in control of industrial zones.

"Our forces had to retreat and conduct a tactical retreat because there was basically nothing left to defend. First, there were no cities left. Second, we couldn't let them cover. encirclement," said Oleksandr Musiyenko, a military analyst in Kiev.

Russia is currently concentrating its forces on Lysychansk, the city opposite Severodonetsk across the Donets River and the last Ukrainian-controlled city in Lugansk province. Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said on June 24 that Russian forces were trying to encircle Lysychansk.

A local Ukrainian official confirmed that the Hirske district in the south of Lysychansk was "under complete control" by Russian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry said it had surrounded about 2,000 Ukrainian troops, including 80 foreign fighters, in Hirske.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that Russian troops opened fire from tanks, mortars, artillery and military aircraft, as well as carried out airstrikes near Lysychanskl Sievierodonetsk and nearby towns.

According to the mayor of Severodonetsk, all three bridges that opened the western exit across the Donets River to the city of Lysychansk were destroyed in the fighting, while the humanitarian situation became critical. Analysts predict that Russia will take more than a week to completely control Lysychansk with the current offensive momentum.

If Russia controls Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, it can create a springboard for full control of the Donbass region. After taking control of the Donbass, Russia could establish a corridor on the land connecting eastern Ukraine to the Crimean peninsula.

Ukraine's foreign minister said that the loss of control over more territories in the Donbass is not too serious a problem for Kiev.

"Russia wanted to control Donbass before May 9. But as of June 24, we are still here and fighting. Withdrawing from a few battles does not mean losing the battle completely," the foreign minister said. Dmytro Kuleba said in an interview with Italian media.

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