According to a Reuters report, Ukrainian soldiers are taking back the Donetsk area, starting with the town of Lyman. The town has been used by the Russian invasion forces for strategic operations in the east.
A Ukrainian flag was planted on the outskirts of the town which has been occupied by Russia since shortly after they invaded Ukraine. On Friday, in a brazen land-grab Moscow annexed the region.
Serhii Cherevati, Ukraine’s military spokesperson said in a Saturday morning press conference that Ukraine completed its circle by taking control of Stavky, a village adjacent to Lyman.
“The Russian group in the area of Lyman is surrounded. The settlements of Yampil, Novoselivka, Stavky, Shandryholove, and Drobysheve are liberated. Stabilization measures are ongoing there,” Cherevati announced.
He added that there were “many killed and wounded.”
Moscow annexed regions
The action comes two weeks after the Ukraine military’s success in driving Russian occupying forces out of the Kharkiv region in southeast Ukraine. And one day after Moscow annexed 4 regions in Southeast Ukraine.
The Ukraine military is strategically attempting to gain control of the Donetsk region. They are starting with Donetsk since they still retain 43% of the land area there. Cherevati claims they will ultimately have control of all 4 of the Moscow annexed areas.
“In connection with the creation of a threat of encirclement, allied troops were withdrawn from the settlement of Krasny Liman (Lyman) to more advantageous lines,” the ministry announced on Telegram.
Serhiy Hayday, Head of Luhansk regional military administration, says that any Russian evacuation has been blocked by Ukraine forces. And no retreat is possible for the Russian invaders.
“Occupiers asked [their command] for the possibility to retreat, and they have been refused. Accordingly, they have two options. No, they actually have three options. Try to break through, surrender, or everyone there will die,” Hayday said.
“There are several thousand of them. Yes, about 5,000. There is no exact number yet. Five thousand is still a colossal grouping. There has never been such a large group in the encirclement before. All routes for the supply of ammunition or the retreat of the group are all completely blocked,” he emphasized.
Jackie is a freelance journalist and technology geek. She worked as a telecom project director for AT&T and BellSouth. Before joining the USA Herald she has written books, articles, blogs and whitepapers. Her clients include Samsung and other technology companies.
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