In eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian and Russian forces continue to fight heavy fighting in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. In the direction of the city of Bakhmut, there are Russian attacks “to improve the tactical situation,” the Ukrainian General Staff said on Thursday. The towns of Wessele, Soledar, Berestowe and Vowchojarivka were under artillery fire. The city of Sievjerodonetsk is being fought particularly fiercely. There, the Ukrainian army “stops the enemy as best it can,” the governor of Luhansk said.
According to Ukrainian sources, there are still thousands of civilians in Sievjerodonetsk. “Out of 100,000 inhabitants, about 10,000 remain, not counting the victims,” said the governor of the Donbass subregion of Luhansk, Serhiy Hajday, on Thursday. The Russian army loses “hundreds of fighters” there, but always brings in new supplies. They “continue the destruction of Sieverodonetsk”.
It is the last major city in the Luhansk region that Russia has not yet conquered. According to the General Staff, part of the industrial city is still under Ukrainian control. Finally, the Russian troops seemed to be on the verge of taking the city completely. They destroyed three bridges to Lysychansk, largely cutting off the remaining Ukrainian forces.
Shelling on different front parts
Heavy fighting is also underway in the separatist stronghold of Donetsk, Ukrainian armed forces say. The Russians are also trying to attack in the direction of Sloviansk. There were also artillery shelling on parts of the front in the regions of Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Kherson and Mykolaiv.
In the northeast of the city of Sumi, four people were killed overnight by Russian rocket fire, according to local governor Dmytro Schywyzkii. Six other people were injured. The Dobropillia district on the border with Russia was also shelled.
American fighter missing
Meanwhile, two Americans are missing who traveled to Ukraine as volunteer fighters. According to relatives and US lawmakers, the two men from the US state of Alabama were imprisoned by Russia on Wednesday (local time). Alexander Drueke and Andy Tai Huynh had fought as volunteers for the Ukrainian armed forces and were recently involved in fighting north of the Ukrainian city of Kharkov.
Ukraine has been defending itself against the war of aggression launched by Russia for almost four months now. The United Nations has so far registered more than 4,400 civilian deaths, but – like Kiev – assumes a much higher number of civilian casualties.
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.
