The Russian army is “throwing all its reserves into” the capture of the city of Severodonetsk in the eastern Luhansk region, according to Sergei Haidai, head of the regional military administration.
“Earlier, they managed to take over most of the city, but now our military has pushed them back,” Heidei told Ukrainian television, claiming that the Russians were “suffering huge losses.”
Heidei also said that Chechen forces, which seemed to believe the battle had been won, had entered the city.
He said that the Russians were trying to destroy bridges, “so that we could not provide reinforcements to our boys who are in Severodonetsk, who are defending the Luhansk region … They are really afraid that the success of our defenders will develop, and this can be done if ammunition, weapons and reinforcements are provided in time. This is the first thing they are afraid of. “
Earlier on Saturday, Heidei said Ukraine now controls about half of Severodonetsk. He was answering a question about the latest UK intelligence assessment, which predicted that Russia would control all of Luhansk within two weeks.
The humanitarian situation in the area is difficult, he added.
“Currently, we can neither evacuate people nor bring humanitarian aid, for example in Severodonetsk. The only places where we can deliver humanitarian aid – food, medicine – are Lisichansk and the Hirske community, south of Severodonetsk, he said.
“Even in Lisichansk we have been shelled, but we continue to transport humanitarian goods by truck every day. We can even evacuate people, but quietly, without publicity, because the Russian army fires on evacuation buses,” Heidei said.
Alexander Struck, head of the military administration in Severodonetsk, said late Saturday that street fighting continues in the city and “our military is doing everything to drive the enemy out of the city.”
Struck said the city’s residential areas are now “split in half”.
“Street battles are being fought, which are accompanied by constant artillery shelling. The situation is quite tense, but there is hope and confidence in our armed forces that everything will work out. The city remains Ukrainian,” he said.
He said there were about 13,000 people in the city before it was stormed by Russian troops, but some were “forcibly relocated to the occupied territories”.
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