Once a day, NU.nl gives you an overview of the situation in Ukraine. This time, fighting for Severodonetsk intensifies, but the much smaller Ukrainian force holds out against the larger Russian strike force. In the Black Sea, the Russian fleet is said to have been pushed back. And positive news came from the port city of Mariupol, where Russia returned bodies from the Azovstal steel plant.
First of all, the situation around Severodonetsk, where the heaviest fighting is currently taking place. Both sides have a lot to gain and lose. For Russia, the capture of the city would mean that the entire Luhansk oblast – a military target of the country – is in the hands of Ukraine, and Ukraine is actually strengthening the country’s defenses by preserving the city.
“Without Severodonetsk, the defense will be a lot more difficult,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed on Monday. He fears that if Russia gets a firm grip on the east of the country, Russian troops could push through.
Russia currently controls half of Severodonetsk. That was 70 percent at first, but Ukrainian forces managed to mount a successful counterattack. Mayor Oleksander Stryuk sees that the defense is currently holding up. “We have enough clout to hold off the Russian attacks.” Zelensky is also positive about the defense, but sees that the city has suffered heavy damage. The president speaks of a “dead city”.
Another Russian general has been killed in fighting in eastern Ukraine. Russian state media confirmed the death of Roman Kutuzkov. Kyiv claims to have killed 12 Russian generals, the West has reported the deaths of at least seven high-ranking Russian officers.
Russia returns bodies of fallen Azovstal soldiers
In the south of the country, Russia has started returning bodies from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol. That was the last Ukrainian military stronghold in the southern port city for weeks. More than two thousand soldiers defended the industrial area, until they surrendered after 82 days.
The soldiers had been surrounded for almost as long then. Due to the constant fighting and bombing, many soldiers were (seriously) injured and now many soldiers appear to have died. Those bodies are now being handed over to Kyiv by Russia. It is not clear how many bodies have been transferred, and how many bodies are still in the factory.
Ukraine says it will push back Russian fleet
South of Mariupol, in the Black Sea, the Ukrainian army claims to have taken steps. The Russian fleet is said to have been pushed back to 100 kilometers from the coastline. Also, the Russians would no longer control the entire northwestern part of the sea. The information has not yet been independently confirmed.
According to the Ukrainian ministry, the Russians have deployed their missile systems in the Kherson region and in Crimea to defend the coast against Ukrainian attacks. They would also have sent reinforcements to the strategically located Snake Island.
The Russian fleet has been blocking Ukrainian ships in the Black Sea for weeks, including for the transport of civilians and for trade. Because Ukraine is a major exporter of grain, there is a global food crisis looming. Despite the advance of the Ukrainians, the blockades have not been lifted. Also, the Russian ships can still fire missiles towards land.
At the end of May, Denmark pledged to provide powerful anti-ship missiles to better defend the coast. Earlier, the Russians already lost ships, such as the flagship of the Black Sea fleet, the Moskva.