Ukraine is withdrawing its troops from the city of Sievjerodonetsk in the east of the country, which has been the subject of fighting for weeks. “It makes no sense to stay in positions that have been vandalized for months to stay there,” said Serhiy Hajday, governor of the Luhansk region. The Ukrainian troops must therefore be withdrawn. The number of deaths would only increase sharply, the city was largely occupied by the Russian forces.
“Our defenders who are there have already been ordered to withdraw to new positions and conduct normal, full-fledged military operations from there,” Hajdaj explained. However, he did not explain whether the troops have already done so or where exactly they should take positions.
90 percent of houses destroyed
According to the governor, up to 90 percent of houses in Sievjerodonetsk have now been destroyed. The city was one of the last parts of Luhansk that had not yet been completely conquered by Russian and pro-Russian fighters.
In the nearby city of Lysychansk, Russian soldiers also advanced on the outskirts on Thursday. The conquest of the Luhansk region – as well as that of the neighboring Donetsk region – seems to be one of the main goals of Russia.
Russian Air Force struggles with staff shortage
According to British intelligence experts, the Russian air force is likely to suffer from a personnel shortage. This was suggested by statements from a recently captured Russian jet fighter pilot who said he was employed by the Wagner mercenary group.
“The deployment of retired close air support personnel now under contract to Wagner shows that the Russian Air Force will likely struggle to support the invasion of Ukraine with sufficient aircrew,” the statement said.
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.
