Ukrainian forces continue to defend Syevyerodonetsk today. Capturing Syevyerodonetsk, which was devastated by Russian bombardment, has become Moscow’s number one goal in recent days.
Statements from both Russia and Ukraine reported that Russia has taken control of one-third to half of Syevyerodonetsk. Pro-Russian separatists admitted that it took longer than expected to take Syevyerodonetsk, despite it being one of the largest ground operations of the war.
Western military experts say Moscow is pulling troops and weapons from the rest of the front to focus on Syevyerodonetsk, hoping a massive attack on the small industrial city of Syevyerodonetsk will be effective in securing Luhansk for the separatists.
Russian state news agency TASS quoted Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the pro-Moscow Luhansk People’s Republic, saying, “We can say that one-third of Syevyerodonetsk is already under our control.”
Leonid Pasecnik said that the fighting in Syevyerodonetsk was in full swing, but the Russian forces were not able to advance as fast as they had hoped. Pasecnik added that pro-Moscow forces wanted to “protect the city’s infrastructure” and that progress was slow due to the presence of chemical factories in the vicinity.
Oleksandr Stryuk, the Ukrainian official of the Syevyerodonetsk city administration, also noted that the Russians took half of the city under their control.
Oleksandr Stryuk said, “Unfortunately, the city has been divided into two. But at the same time, the city is defending itself, it is still in Ukraine’s hands,” and advised those in the shelter to stay where they are.
Ukraine reported that Russia destroyed the entire infrastructure of Syevyerodonetsk with uninterrupted bombardments, and the ground attack caused the death of many people.
Thousands of people are still stranded in Syevyerodonetsk. Luhansk Governor Serhiy Gayday said Russian forces were advancing slowly towards the city centre.
Governor Gayday noted that there is no risk of besieging the Ukrainian forces, but that they may be forced to retreat to the city of Lisichansk, on the opposite bank of the Siverskiy Donets river.
Syevyerodonetsk city administration official Stryuk also stressed that it is no longer possible to evacuate civilians. After a French journalist died yesterday, authorities canceled efforts to evacuate the city’s residents.
Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, a longtime aid organization operating in Syevyerodonetsk, said he was “fearful” at the destruction of the city.
Jan Egeland said: “We fear that 12,000 civilians will be left in the crossfire line in Syevyerodonetsk, without access to water, food, medicine or electricity. The near-continuous shelling is forcing civilians to descend into bunkers and basements. Those who try to escape have little opportunity.” said.
Moscow, which failed to capture the capital Kiev, was repulsed from the north of Ukraine and made limited progress in the east, concentrated all its power on Syevyerodonetsk, which had a population of 110 thousand before the war.
A victory at Syevyerodonetsk and at Lisichansk on the opposite bank of the river could provide Moscow with an opportunity to seize full control of Luhansk.
However, Western experts say the cost of the fight in Syevyerodonetsk is heavy for Russia, and it will hinder Russia’s ability to thwart counterattacks.
The Washington-based think tank Institute for War Studies said this week, “Putin is stockpiling troops and ammunition in Syevyerodonetsk. He thinks taking the city will give the Kremlin a chance to win the war. Putin is wrong.”
The Institute commented, “The end of the battle of Syevyerodonetsk will mean the end of Russia’s offensive at functional and strategic levels, regardless of who controls the city. This will give Ukraine a chance to resume counter-attacks to push back the Russian forces.”