Ukrainian army deters Russian offensive in Severodonetsk, says General Staff

Read also: General Staff says Russians gearing up for attack on Slovyansk

Near the town of Lyman, Russian soldiers attempted to go deeper into Ukrainian territory and capture Raihorodok, a village to the northeast from Slovyansk, another Russian target. This attempt failed, the military says, and the Russian forces retreated.

In the city of Severodonetsk itself, Ukrainian forces are conducting a successful operation to keep the Russian army closer to the city’s outskirts, but intense combat there continues.

Read also: 80% of the population of Slovyansk have evacuated

Cities like Severodonetsk and Slovyansk, formerly large industrial centers, are now considered to be uninhabitable due to active hostilities, the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, and Russian shelling of residential areas.

Near Toshkivka, a small town close to Severodonetsk, the Russian army made another attempt to expand the territory it controls, but was again rebuffed. The invaders also tried to get closer to the village of Ustynivka, and were stopped by the Ukrainian army.

Near the city of Bakhmut, Russian forces have increased pressure on Ukrainian positions, using aircraft and drones to assist in targeting artillery. Ukrainian positions have Benn shelled by mortars, artillery, and multiple launch rocket systems. This occurred in the area close to villages of Pokrovske, Berestove, Zolote-4, Vrubivka, Travneve, Yakovlivka, and Dolomitne.

Russian Ka-52 helicopters, which operate air-to-surface missiles, hit targets in Pokrovske, Vidrodzhennya and Yakovlivka.

Near Nahirne, another Donbas village, Ukrainian artillery hit Russian positions and pushed the invaders back to the eastern direction, preventing a Russian advance.

Read also: Severodonetsk becomes a huge mass grave for Russian army and Kadyrovites

In the area closer to Avdiivka, Novopavlivske and Zaporizhzhya, the Russian army used different tactics. In order to encircle Ukrainian troops and to prevent Ukrainian reinforcements, Russian forces conducted high-intensity artillery attacks, trying to hit Ukrainian soldiers positioned near Pisky, New York, Lyubomyrivka, Avdiivka, Novobakhmutivka, Vodyane, Pervomayske, Maryinka, and Dosvidchene.

New York, a town in the Donbas area, survived an airstrike, while Kurakhove was hit by several Russian rockets.