Ukraine war: Russians now control ‘about 70%’ of key city Severodonetsk as governor says life for Luhansk people is ‘hell’ | World News

Russian forces currently control about 70% of Severodonetsk and fierce fighting is taking place in the eastern Ukrainian city, the regional governor told Sky News.

Speaking from an undisclosed location inside Luhansk Oblast, Serhiy Hayday acknowledged victory in the city would be a huge morale boost for Russia, but he downplayed the broader military importance.

He said the Ukrainian army could make a tactical retreat from the city to save lives and take defensive positions outside to prevent further Russian advances:

It came as The EU has agreed to ban about 75% of Russia’s oil imports in an attempt to further squeeze Vladimir Putin’s regime.

Latest Ukraine War – fierce battle for key city as Russia pursues biggest invasion victory to date

Mr Hayday told Sky News: “It seems to me, but I’m not a military man, that it doesn’t make sense to lose so many soldiers to retake a city that doesn’t make military sense. strategy.”

“Militarily, the city is not important because for example the neighboring city of Lysychansk has more high ground and the army will have better positions.”

“We have restrained the Russian army for more than three months, that must be understood, and they have sent their entire army to capture the Luhansk region,” he continued.

“The longer we resist, the more foreign weapons we get, rearm our troops, and then we can at least stop the Russian army, later even counterattack.”

Evacuation efforts were suspended in Severodonetsk on Tuesday as a result of fighting that is now believed to be from one street to another.

Other major developments:
• The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet in Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region
• A ship has left port in Mariupol for the first time since Kremlin forces captured the area, Interfax news agency reports
• Belarus will conduct military mobilization exercises in June and July near the Ukrainian border, according to state news agency BelTA

Reporting from the city, Sky’s Alex Crawford noticed increased stress among those who chose to staywith most of its 120,000 men fleeing the brutal Russian artillery bombardment.

The Russian government has concentrated its forces on the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov describing this as an “unconditional priority”.

Russian-backed separatists control parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, the two regions that make up the Donbas, and President Vladimir Putin wants it completely in pro-Russian hands.

If Severodonetsk were taken, it would give Moscow full control of Luhansk – and would be his biggest victory of the invasion to date.

Life ‘hell’ for people in Luhansk

On Monday, Russian forces were on the eastern edge of Severodonetsk – and captured a power plant and a hotel. Overnight, they slowly moved into the city center.

Small Ukrainian units holding on to Russia’s advance had to withdraw, with reports indicating they were moving west of the Siverskyi Donets, towards the city of Lysychansk.

Governor Hayday said life is “hell” for those still living in Luhansk – there’s no electricity, gas and water and the area is under constant bombardment leaving humanitarian aid out of reach – and said he had seen many examples of alleged war crimes. .

“Our children are dying. The Russians are dropping bombs on the schools where people are hiding. The Russians have destroyed all the power and water substations. The people have no water. They shoot at the roads. the main gas pipeline, they destroyed all of our hospitals. Many civilians died.”

“The shooting was so intense that people had to bury their neighbors somewhere in their yard. Sometimes shelling even happened during burials.

“A pro-Ukraine volunteer was shot dead in a wheelchair at his home. Our women are being raped and tortured. The Russian military is committing a lot of war crimes here.”

Russia ‘on hold’

The British Ministry of Defense (MoD) said that Moscow’s main goals are likely to remain to besiege Severodonetsk and shut down Ukrainian forces in Luhansk Oblast.

“Progress has been slow, but benefits are still being achieved,” the MoD added.

“The routes to the interior are likely to remain under Ukraine’s control. Russia has achieved more local successes than earlier in the campaign by concentrating forces and firing in a similar area. This forces Russia to take risks elsewhere in the occupied territory.”

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With such a scale of combat and destruction, Severodonetsk is turning into “another Mariupol”, according to professor of security analysis Michael Clarke.

However, the offensive there weakened Russian forces elsewhere – in Kharkiv, further north, the country’s second-largest city, and also in Kherson to the southwest, to Mykolaiv, the gateway to the strategic Black Sea port city of Odesa.

The port city of Kherson was one of the first cities in Ukraine to come under Russian control.

“They’re clearly putting pressure on the Russians in Kherson, which from the Ukrainian point of view will make the Russians worry about something else while they’re pushing hard in Severodonetsk, because if they lose their position at Kherson, they’ll have to divert their forces, Professor Clarke said.