Rus "Ukrainian forces retreating from Sievierodonetsk towards Lysychansk"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] As Russian forces continue their offensive on Severodonetsk in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on the 4th (local time) that Ukrainian troops are retreating from the city. Severodonetsk is a strategic stronghold through which Ukrainian supply routes pass.

According to RIA Novosti and other sources, Mikhail Mizintsev, commander of the National Defense Management Center under the Russian General Staff, stated at a briefing that "Ukrainian units are suffering heavy losses in the battle for Severodonetsk and are retreating towards Lysychansk." He added that some Ukrainian units have lost up to 90% of their personnel.

Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, located in Luhansk Oblast in the Donbas region, lie on the left and right banks of the Siverskyi Donets River, respectively.

Commander Mizintsev claimed that "the Ukrainian regime has ordered tactical units to plant explosives on nitrate and nitric acid storage tanks with a total capacity exceeding 100 tons at the Azot chemical plant in Severodonetsk."

He stated, "The Ukrainian regime expects to suppress the Russian advance by detonating these tanks containing toxic chemicals to create a chemically contaminated zone," and pointed out that Ukraine is simultaneously trying to blame Russia for the resulting technological environmental disaster.

Russian forces, which have seized most of Luhansk Oblast, have recently concentrated their attacks on Severodonetsk. If Severodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk fall to Russian forces, Luhansk Oblast will effectively be completely under Russian control.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.