Ukraine says its armed forces have been subjected to intense Russian bombardment in the eastern city of Lysychansk. Authorities deny the allegations that the city is surrounded by Russia.
Lysychansk is the last remaining Ukrainian city in Luhansk, part of the industrial region of Donbas. Russia captured the city of Severodonetsk here last month.
“We cannot find the opportunity to put out the big fires in Lyschansk,” said Serhiy Haidai, governor of Luhansk.
Russia also continued to fire missiles at cities in the north and south.
In the northern city of Kharkov, railroad tracks and power lines were damaged in a series of attacks. No casualties were reported.
The southern city of Mykolaiv, located on an important route to the port city of Odessa, was also shaken by many explosions.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said that the air force destroyed five Ukrainian command centers and several ammunition depots; however, this claim could not be independently verified.
More than 20 people were killed in a missile attack on an apartment near Odessa by Russia yesterday.
While Russia intensified its ground operation in Donbas, Governor Haidai said that artillery fire was opened on Lysychansk from various directions.
A Ukrainian National Guard spokesman denied that Russia-backed Luhansk separatists had surrounded the city.
Russia-backed Luhansk separatists claimed that they “occupied the last strategic hills in Lyschansk and completely surrounded the city”.
The British Ministry of Defense’s latest intelligence update stated that Russian forces “continue to make minor advances around Lysychansk with air and artillery strikes”.
The ministry also accuses Russia of using Soviet-era anti-ship missiles “for a secondary ground attack” for purposes other than those for which they were designed. The ministry says the missiles that killed many civilians in Kremenchuk and Odessa were “probably” Kh-22 and Kh-32 missiles.
Slovyansk, an important city in the Donbas held by Ukrainian forces, was also bombarded by Russia. Mayor Vadym Lyakh said Russian cluster munitions killed four people there; however, the BBC could not confirm this claim.