DIRECT. War in Ukraine: faced with "incessant bombing", a retreat "may be necessary" in Sievierodonetsk

The essential

• The Twenty-Seven yesterday approved Ukraine's candidacy for membership of the European Union.

  A “unique and historic” moment, reacted Volodymyr Zelensky. 

• On the ground, nearly four months after the invasion launched by the Russian army, the latter continues to progress in the East.

• "Under the fire of incessant bombardments", "a retreat (of the Ukrainian army) will perhaps be necessary" in Sievierodonetsk.

06:18

“Retreat” to Severodonetsk? 

But if Volodymyr Zelensky still predicted a victory "for sure" against the Russian army, Serguiï Gaïdaï, the governor of the Lugansk region, dropped the word "retreat" concerning Severodonetsk, a key city in the Donbass.

"Under the fire of incessant bombing, we have suffered too much damage and a retreat may be necessary", warned in the night from Thursday to Friday this official whose daily updates on the situation in Donbass are a reference.

"There are 568 civilians in shelters in Azot", the industrial zone of Severodonetsk, the only sector of the city still remaining in the hands of Ukrainian troops, said Mr. Gaïdaï.

"At the rate our soldiers are going, very soon the entire territory of the Lugansk People's Republic will be liberated," Lt. Col. Andrei Marotchko told AFP by video call.

Anti-aircraft alerts sounded overnight from Thursday to Friday in several major Ukrainian cities, from Donetsk to Odessa.

06:10

Hello

And welcome to this direct dedicated to the Russian invasion.

Here you can follow the developments and consequences of this new day of fighting.