A representative of the pro-Russian separatists claimed on Wednesday (June 22) that Ukrainian forces defending the cities of Lysytchansk and Severodonetsk were about to be surrounded after weeks of fighting.
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Lieutenant-Colonel Andrei Marochko also told Russian television that Ukrainian forces had been surrounded in the villages of Hirske and Zolote, the day after the capture of the neighboring town of Tochkivka.
All these localities are located a few kilometers from Severodonetsk and Lyssytchansk, taken under the fire of Russian artillery and which were devastated according to the Ukrainian authorities.
A “total” encirclement
“
Very soon the (Ukrainian) groups in Lysytchansk and Severodonetsk will be surrounded
,” Andrei Marochko told Rossiïa 24. In Zolote and Hirske “
there is a total encirclement of Ukrainian soldiers
,” said he added, also claiming "
the elimination of a group of foreign mercenaries
".
“
The victories and successes are colossal.
Over the past two days, a tremendous amount of work has been accomplished
,” the separatist soldier said.
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The Ukrainian resistance pocket around Lysychansk and Severodonetsk is the only one still eluding Russian forces in the Luhansk region, where fierce artillery fighting has been going on for weeks.
The capture of this area is at the heart of the Russian offensive to conquer the entire Ukrainian Donbass.
