Fierce street fighting rages in Ukraine’s strategic city of Severodonetsk, as Russia is pushing to completely bring the eastern Donbas region under its control.
“The situation is changing every hour, but at the same time there’s enough forces and resources to repel attacks,” Severodonetsk mayor Oleksandr Striuk said, pledging that no one was going to abandon the city.
The Ukrainian forces are still holding out in the strategic industrial hub in the east and have not completely surrendered.
Speaking to journalists after visiting frontline positions in Lysychansk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Ukrainian military forces in the key city were outnumbered by Russian forces, who “are stronger”.
According to Ukraine’s defense ministry, the Russian military is reinforcing its troops and equipment in the city.
On Monday, Luhansk governor said the situation had worsened and Ukrainian forces lost ground in the city.
Odessa blockade
Ukrainian officials also said Moscow had blockaded the key Black Sea port of Odessa, preventing their exports of grain.
Zelensky said the Russian military has blocked 25 million tonnes of grain from being exported.
“In the autumn that could be 70 to 75 million tonnes,” said Zelensky, whose country was the world’s fourth biggest grain exporter before the war.
The Russian military offensive, combined with supply chain snarls and climate change, has triggered stark warnings of food shortages in Ukraine and around the globe.
Press TV
