LYSSYTSCHANSK (dpa-AFX) – According to Ukrainian information, Russian troops have advanced to the outskirts of the city of Lyssychansk in eastern Ukraine. “Our fighters stopped the advance towards the southern outskirts of Lysychansk, inflicted casualties on the enemy and forced him to retreat,” said the General Staff situation report in Kyiv on Thursday evening. The Russian army is now drawing on reserves. Borivske, a settlement east of the Seversky Donets River, was also fought over.
In the morning it became known that a Ukrainian group was surrounded in the towns of Solote and Hirske south of Lysychansk. In the evening, the Ukrainian military announced that the Russian troops had meanwhile partially captured Hirske. According to the report, they were able to shut down the cauldron completely. The Russian war of aggression against the neighboring country has now lasted four months.
Lysychansk is the last major city in the Luhansk region under full Ukrainian control. The twin city of Sievjerodonetsk on the other side of the river Siverskyi Donets has been largely conquered by Russian troops./ast/DP/mis