The “fate” of the Donbass is played out in Sievierodonetsk, for Zelensky
Ukrainian soldiers deliver to Sievierodonetsk one of the “toughest battles” since the beginning of the war to resist the Russian forces which now control a large part of this strategic city in the East, where, according to the president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is played out ” fate “ of the Donbass region.
“We are defending our positions, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. It’s a very hard, very difficult battle, probably one of the most difficult of this war.said the Ukrainian president in a video released Wednesday evening.
For Russia, getting hold of this city would be decisive in order to conquer the entire vast coal basin of Donbass, already partly held by pro-Russian separatists since 2014. “In many ways, the fate of our Donbass is decided there”said Mr. Zelensky.
A few hours earlier, Serhi Haidai, governor of the Luhansk region, had affirmed that the forces of Moscow “controlled a large part of Sievierodonetsk”. “The industrial zone is still ours, there are no Russians there. The fighting takes place only in the streets inside the city”he announced.
The nearby town of Lysychansk is fully controlled by the Ukrainian army, but comes under bombardment “powerful and chaotic”further specified Mr. Haïdaï, accusing the Russian forces of targeting “deliberately” hospitals and humanitarian aid distribution centres. “They shoot with large caliber, the destruction is enormous”, he added. Earlier in the day, Haidai admitted that Ukrainian forces should “maybe retire” de Sievierodonetsk.
Moscow’s forces have made only slow progress so far, leading Western analysts to say that the Russian invasion launched on February 24 had turned into a war of attrition, with limited advances achieved at the cost of massive destruction and heavy losses.
While many civilians evacuated Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk, several thousand remained there – elderly people, people caring for them or those who could not afford to move elsewhere.