Russian forces has attacked the cities of Lysychansk and Severodonetsk in Ukraine’s eastern region of Luhansk, according to the region’s governor.Serhiy Haidai said in a Telegram post that 12 people were killed in Severodonetsk as a result of the assault, and more than 60 houses were destroyed across the region.
He added that the attack on Severodonetsk “was unsuccessful – the Russians suffered personnel losses and retreated.” His remarks could not be independently verified.
In Hirske, a town 30 km south of Severodonetsk, one other person has been reported dead due to Russian attacks.
Up to 15,000 civilians who could not leave the besieged eastern town of Severodonetsk are trying to survive intense shelling of Russian forces, an official says.
“These people live in bomb shelters, in the basements of apartment buildings, where it is possible to hid, to find shelter from the shelling,” district administration head Alexander Stryuk said in televised remarks.
He said that the shelling destroyed “up to 70 percent” of houses and apartment buildings in the town that lies only 100 kilometers northwest of rebel-held Luhansk and has been a focus of Russia’s offensive in recent weeks. Russia has lost armoured manoeuvre elements of at least one battalion tactical group and the deployed pontoon bridging equipment while crossing the Siverskyi Donets river west of Severodonetsk, Britain said in its intelligence update.exports.
Slovak firm paid euros for Russian gas: CEO
Slovak state gas importer SPP has paid a bill for Russian natural gas in euros and conversion of the funds to roubles is outside its control, CEO Richard Prokypcak has said in a live interview on Slovak public television RTVS.
“The foreign exchange conversion is outside any control of SPP, for us really the important moment of fulfilling our commitment is the euro payment,” he said.
- The governor of Luhansk says 12 people have been killed in Severodonetsk as Russian forces advanced in the region.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says country’s eastern Donbas region has been “completely destroyed” by Russian forces.
- US President Joe Biden applauds Congress for approving a $40bn aid package for Ukraine.
- The Biden administration announces an additional $100m in security assistance to Kyiv, including artillery, radars and other equipment.
- Blinken accuses Russia of using food as a weapon in Ukraine by holding “hostage” the supply for millions worldwide who rely on the country’s Ukrainian forces have successfully prevented an attempted Russian river crossing in the Donbas, according to a regular British defence ministry Twitter bulletin.
