The Ukrainian military said it had withdrawn from the northern city of Siversk Donetsk region withdrawn. There are still fierce fighting in the Siversk area, the General Staff said on Facebook. “In order to protect the lives of our soldiers and the combat effectiveness of the units, the Ukrainian defenders have withdrawn from the village,” the statement said.
The Russian soldiers “We were able to advance in difficult weather conditions thanks to their numerical superiority and constant pressure from small storm troops,” the Ukrainian General Staff said. The Russian troops had a “significant advantage in personnel and equipment and, despite high losses, continued their offensive operations.”
The fall of Siversk comes in the midst of Negotiations about a possible end to the war. The USA pushed the Ukraine in the past few weeks about cessions of territory.
Fighting for Pokrovsk continues
Siversk had a population of just over 10,000 before the Russian invasion began. For a long time, the section of the front was considered relatively stable, but recently the pressure from the Russian attackers in the area had increased. The Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the capture of the city almost two weeks ago at a partially broadcast meeting with Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov. The government in Kyiv denied this at the time.
Siversk is considered strategically important because it is part of a defensive line protecting the last major conurbation in Donbass controlled by Ukrainian forces. After the fall of Siversk, Russian attackers can now advance further on the cities of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk.
Fighting also continues around the former logistical hub of Pokrovsk. The Ukrainian armed forces recently announced that they had repelled an unusually large Russian attack. On Tuesday they reported that Ukrainian troops continue to control the northern part of the largely destroyed former logistics center.
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