Finance
Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from their positions in Lysychansk, a key eastern city in the separatist Luhansk region, according to Kiev’s military.
The General Staff stated on social media late Sunday night, “After heavy fighting for Lysychansk, the armed forces of Ukraine have been forced to withdraw from their occupied positions and lines.”
“Given the overwhelming advantage of the Russian occupying forces in terms of artillery, aircraft, multiple rocket launchers, ammunition and personnel, continuing the defence of the city would have led to fatal consequences. In order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders, the decision was taken to withdraw.”
Lysychansk fell a week after its twin city Severodonetsk fell to Russian forces on June 25.
With the capture of these two cities, Russia now controls nearly all of the Luhansk region and a large portion of neighboring Donetsk, the two Russian-backed separatist regions that comprise the industrial Donbas.
The last Ukrainian positions in Luhansk were Lysychansk and Severodonetsk.
President Volodymyr Zelenksy insisted on Sunday night in his video address to the nation that Ukrainian forces would return to Lysychansk “thanks to our tactics, thanks to the increased supply of modern weapons,” according to Ukrayinska Pravda.
“Ukraine is surrendering nothing,” he added.
“When Moscow officials report on the situation in Luhansk Oblast, let them remember the reports and promises they made before February 24, during the first days of the invasion, in the spring, and now,” Zelenksy said, referring to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s earlier statement that his forces had captured Lysychansk and taken full control of the Luhansk region.
“Let them make a realistic assessment of what they have achieved during this time, and the price they paid for it. Because their current reports will be reduced to dust, just as their past ones were.”
The President further noted that Ukrainian forces continue to gradually advance in Kharkiv, Kherson, and the Black Sea.
Source:OCN
