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Russia's attack
on Ukraine continues, in Lysychansk. Reuters/stringer
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As of Friday morning, a local Ukrainian official declared on television that a district south of the city of Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk region was "completely overrun" by Russian forces.
Oleksiy
Babchenko, the mayor of Hirske, stated on television that "unfortunately,
as of today...the entire Hirske district is occupied." The enemy has
penetrated, despite some minor, nearby battles that are taking place.
The
loss of Hirske and several other settlements around it leaves Lysychansk, the
last major Ukrainian-controlled city in Luhansk, in danger of being enveloped
from three sides by advancing Russian forces.
Russia's
defence ministry said on Friday it had encircled about 2,000 Ukrainian troops,
including 80 foreign fighters, at Hirske. Reuters could not independently
verify the claim.
Ukraine
signalled on Friday its troops were withdrawing from Lysychansk's sister city
Sievierodonetsk, the scene of weeks of intense bombardments and street
fighting, in what would be a significant setback in its struggle to defeat
Russian forces.
Source:
Reuters
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