British intelligence estimates that the Russians suffered heavy casualties while withdrawing from the strategically important city of Lyman. The town in the eastern region of Donetsk was previously defended by undermanned Russian units and reservists, the British Ministry of Defense reported on Sunday.
Many soldiers are said to have died when they withdrew via the only road out of Lyman that was still under Russian control. Ukrainian authorities had previously spoken of about 5,000 Russian soldiers surrounded. So far, however, there is no concrete information about the number of deaths and prisoners. More than 60,000 Russians have been killed in the fighting so far, according to the Ukrainian General Staff.
Russia surrendered Lyman on Saturday – a day after the illegal annexation of several Ukrainian territories – in a bitter defeat by the Ukrainian army. According to the Russian army, the armed forces have been withdrawn because of the risk of encirclement.
Kremlin’s public criticism of military leadership
According to the British, the withdrawal caused a wave of public criticism of the military leadership in Russian government circles. Further defeats in the regions of the annexed territories are likely to further intensify this and put pressure on senior commanders.
The British Ministry of Defense has published daily information on the course of the war since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine on February 24, citing intelligence information. With this, London wants to both counter the Russian portrayal and keep allies in line. Moscow accuses the British government of a targeted disinformation campaign.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
