Zelenskyy denies Russia has seized last Luhansk stronghold
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia claimed control Sunday over the last Ukrainian stronghold in an eastern province that is key to achieving a major goal ofUkraine’s General Staff of the military reported that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk in Luhansk province, but the president said the fight for the city was ongoing.
Ukrainian and Russian forces have fought fiercely for Lysychansk in recent days after neighboring Sievierodoentsk fell last week. On Sunday evening, the General Staff of Ukraine’s military confirmed on social media that its forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk “to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders.”Earlier, however, Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy said Kyiv’s forces were still battling Russian soldiers on the city’s outskirts “in a very difficult and dangerous situation.
The capture of Lysychansk would give the Russians more territory from which to intensify attacks on Donetsk as they drive their campaign in the Donbas, a region of mines and factories where Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014. Kramatorsk, another major city in the Donetsk region, also came under fire, the regional administration said.
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