A part of town of Severodonetsk in jap Ukraine is “already managed by the Russian military” and Russian troops are “step by step transferring in direction of downtown Severodonetsk,” Serhiy Hayday, head of Luhansk regional army administration stated on Tuesday.
However Hayday denied Russian studies that they’ve captured the entire metropolis.
“The scenario is extraordinarily sophisticated,” Hayday stated.
“Sadly, a part of Severodonetsk metropolis is already managed by the Russian military. They [the Russians] reported a few days in the past that that they had already captured the whole metropolis. This isn’t the case, there are our guys within the metropolis. The Russians can not transfer freely.”
Hayday stated he did not suppose there was a threat troops would encircle Severodonetsk although preventing continues within the metropolis.
“The Russians don’t management the Lysychansk-Bakhmut route, however they’re shelling it,” Hayday added.
Civilians trapped and provides halted: Roughly 15,000 civilians stay in Severodonetsk metropolis, Hayday stated, and evacuation is now “suspended as a consequence of hazard.” They will solely ship humanitarian items to close by Lysychansk and Hirske to the south.
“Hundreds who stay within the metropolis are afraid of revenge or bloodbath for no motive,” Hayday stated, including that video clips of locals welcoming Russian troops have been “staged scenes.”
The army official stated the Russians are “planning a army operation to clear the realm round Severodonetsk” with a battalion “being launched to go to the encompassing villages” armed with heavy flamethrowers to “burn our army together with the civilian inhabitants.”
“They simply do not care,” he stated.
In close by Lysychansk: Two folks have been killed and three injured, Hayday stated, however “we have no idea what number of civilians have been killed” in Severodonetsk for the reason that Russian troops started getting into town two days in the past.
The remainder of Luhansk area, managed by the Ukrainian authorities, is beneath shelling fully,” Hayday stated.
Up to now 24 hours, “eight enemy assaults have been repulsed on the entrance of the area” and air protection models shot down an X-59MK cruise missile, Hayday stated.
In Slovyansk: Round 85 kilometers (52 miles) west of Severodonetsk, three folks have been killed and 6 injured after a Russian air strike hit a faculty and a number of other multi-story buildings in a single day, Vadym Liakh, head of the Slovyansk metropolis army administration, stated in a separate replace. He urged everybody to evacuate.