All bridges out of the eastern Ukrainian city of Syevyerodonetsk have been destroyed and conditions for people remaining in the city are “extremely difficult,” the military governor for the Luhansk region told RFE/RL.
“All the bridges have been destroyed, so it is impossible to bring anything to the city today, unfortunately,” said Serhiy Hayday, adding that evacuations were not possible.
Russian forces have destroyed the entire infrastructure for gas, water, and electricity, he said, noting there were also “huge problems” with medical care.
According to Hayday, the Russian Army currently controls 70 percent to 80 percent of Syevyerodonetsk.
He added on Facebook that Syevyerodonetsk was not blocked, and there is communication with the city.
The Ukrainian military said that its forces were pushed back from the center of Syevyerodonetsk, the Donbas city that has seen ferocious battles as Ukrainian and Russian forces fight for control.
Eduard Basurin, a senior separatist figure, said on June 13 that Syevyerodonetsk had been “de facto” blocked off after Russian forces blew up the “last” bridge connecting it to Lysychansk.
Ukraine’s General Staff said earlier that Russia troops had gained a foothold in the village of Bohorodychne, a village about 50 kilometers west of Syevyerodonetsk.
Taking Bohorodychne puts Russian forces in good position to attack Slovyansk, a bigger, more important town.
According to Basurin, Moscow-backed forces have begun an offensive on Slovyansk.
Hayday commented earlier about the situation at the Azot nitrogen chemical plant in Syevyerodonetsk, where hundreds of civilians have reportedly taken refuge, saying it was being “heavily shelled.”
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