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On 25 June, Russian forces captured Sievierodonetsk, Syrotyne, Voronove and Borivske
Approximately 10,000 civilians remained in the city, ten percent of the pre-war level. At this time, Hanna Maliar, the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, criticized civilians for allegedly disrupting military operations during the battle by sharing military information on social media.
On 2 July, the Battle of Lysychansk ended with another Russian victory, and the following day Russian LPR forces declared full control of the entire Luhansk region. On 4 July, The Guardian reported that after the fall of the Luhansk oblast, that Russian invasion troops would continue their invasion into the adjacent Donetsk oblast to attack the cities of Sloviansk and Bakhmut. The next day, Oleksiy Arestovych, an advisor to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, conceded that Lysychansk was in danger of being captured by the Russians. Luhansk Oblast governor Serhiy Haidai said the city was attacked "with inexplicably brutal tactics" and the Russians were "stubbornly advancing" amid losses. Outside observers noted that the fall of Lysychansk meant that Russia had achieved its strategic objective of capturing all of Luhansk Oblast, as part of its larger goal of seizing the entirety of the Donbas. Later that day, the Ukrainian General Staff confirmed that their forces had withdrawn from Lysychansk, however President Zelenskyy denied that the city was fully captured, saying "...we cannot definitely say that Lysychansk is under control. Battles are raging on the outskirts of Lysychansk." Later that night, Zelenskyy admitted Lysychansk had fallen and vowed to eventually retake the city, "thanks to the increase in the supply of modern weapons."
Battle
The LNR Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on July 3 that fighting for Siversk had begun, although this claim was rejected by Ukraine and Western observers. During the battle of Lysychansk, the Russian army had launched an offensive in the direction of Siversk from three directions. The city of Siversk is located in the northern part of Donetsk Oblast, which is claimed by the Donetsk People's Republic, 30 kilometers west of Lysychansk. On the same day, Russian and LPR forces occupied the town of Bilohorivka, thus entering the administrative border of the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. On July 4, Russian forces continued their offensive operations towards Siversk. On July 6, Russian forces began fighting around the villages of Spirne, Verkhnokamyanske, Hryhorivka, and Bilohorivka, all within 15km of Siversk. Three days later on July 9, Russian and separatist forces claimed they captured the town of Hryhorivka, which the British ministry of defense confirmed on the 12th. On July 11, Russian troops approached to within just a few kilometers of Siversk.On July 12, Russian forces attempted a limited ground assault east of Siversk. The Ukrainian General Staff claimed that Russian forces suffered serious losses during a failed assault toward Spirne and Ivano-Darivka.
Russian state media TASS, backed by statements by DPR president Denis Pushilin claimed on July 13 that they had captured parts of Siversk. Former separatist commander Igor Girkin claimed that there was no fighting for the city, and that Russian troops simply entered after Ukrainian forces withdrew. Vitaly Kiselyov, the LPR's Assistant to the Interior Minister, backed up Russian claims that Russian and LPR forces seized control of Siversk, although some pro-Russian channels and the Ukrainian general staff claimed that fighting is instead occurring east of Verkhnokamyanske.
"Российские военные заявили о полном контроле над Северодонецком". Radio Free Europe (in Russian). 26 June 2022. The summary of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the evening of that night says that Russian forces are fixed in the areas of the Sievierodonetsk, Syrotyne, Voronove and Borivske following the Ukrainian forces leaving the area
"Российские военные заявили о полном контроле над Северодонецком". Radio Free Europe (in Russian). 26 June 2022. Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar criticized the media that reported on the retreat of troops: "Public demonstration by civilians of awareness of the course of military operations and reporting this on social networks partly disrupts military operations – as was the case yesterday and the day before yesterday in Severodonetsk. When they simply did not allow the Armed Forces to finalize what was planned," Malyar quotes the BBC .
"RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, JULY 14". Institute for the Study of War. 15 July 2022. Assistant to the Interior Minister Vitaly Kiselyov amplified Russian war correspondents' claims that Russian forces established operational control of Siversk on July 14 after seizing Verkhnokamyanske on July 13. && The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces launched an attack on Verkhnokamyanske (approximately 8 km east of Siversk), but Ukrainian forces repelled Russian assaults in the area.
Donetsk PR
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