The Ukrainian military has reported progress in its counter-offensive in the south and continued efforts to fend off the Russian advance in the eastern Donbas region.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Monday reported additional Russian efforts to downgrade Ukrainian defenses in Luhansk and Donetsk, saying artillery, airstrikes and missiles had been used in several places — including Lysychansk and Soledar.
Russian pressure on Severodonetsk, a city with two-thirds of properties reported destroyed, continues, with the general staff saying hostilities in and around the city continue.
As the Russians attack the Ukrainian lines in Donbas from the south, east and north, there are conflicting claims about their progress.
The general staff said fighting continues around the village of Komyshuvakha, southwest of Severodonetsk. Social media video geolocated by DailyExpertNews appears to show a Chechen unit in the village, with drone footage suggesting Ukrainian soldiers are withdrawing from the area. A Chechen commander says: “This place is now under our control and we will start storming all fronts. We have completely captured Komyshuvakha, you might say.”
Ukraine has had some success in its offensive in the south, which began this weekend. The General Staff said: “The enemy suffered losses and withdrew from the village of Mykolaivka, Kherson region, triggering panic among soldiers of other units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.”
If Russian troops withdrew from Mykolaivka, it would mean a gain of several kilometers for Ukrainian units.
The General Staff reported ongoing cross-border shelling of settlements in the northern regions of Chernihiv and Sumy, as well as shelling in the area north of the city of Kharkov, recently recaptured by Ukrainian forces.
Serhiy Hayday, the head of the military administration of the Luhansk region, said late Monday that while all parts of the Luhansk region still under Ukrainian control are under attack, “the situation in Severodonetsk is really the most difficult”.
The official noted that Russian troops had been able to “penetrate territory from the outskirts of the city, where the Myr hotel is, and move a little deeper into the city. In the city now there have been and will be street fights.” .”
Kostan Nechyporenko of DailyExpertNews contributed to this post.