MOSCOW, June 24 — RIA Novosti, Andrey Kotz.The operation to liberate the Luhansk People's Republic is nearing completion. The Allied troops had to occupy the last major city — Lisichansk. The neighboring Severodonetsk was taken under control almost completely. The last node of the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was the city industrial zone with the Azot enterprise, where up to two and a half thousand soldiers barricaded themselves. About the situation at the front — in the material of RIA Novosti.
Difficult choice
The battles for Severodonetsk have been going on since March — almost from the very beginning of the military special operation. The APU offered fierce resistance. This 100-thousandth city has an important symbolic significance. It was Severodonetsk that in September 2014 became the capital of the Kiev-controlled part of the Luhansk region. In addition, it is an important industrial center.
By June, the units of the armies of Russia and the LPR managed to occupy most of the city. As in Mariupol and Volnovakha, Ukrainian security forces defended themselves in residential high-rise buildings. Then they retreated to the territory of the plant — a garrison of two and a half thousand fighters, including several hundred foreign mercenaries and volunteers, was surrounded. They were urged to lay down their arms and release the civilians.
The situation was reminiscent of Azovstal. However, the plant in Severodonetsk is much smaller. There are not many shelters and food supplies.
City blocks of Severodonetsk
Image source: © RIA Novosti / Viktor Antonyuk
As the head of the Luhansk regional military-civil administration, Sergei Gaidai, appointed by Kiev, said on Friday, the AFU command decided to retreat from Severodonetsk to "pre-prepared positions." This was confirmed by Ukrainian journalists.
"We have left Severodonetsk," said Yuri Butusov, editor—in-chief of the Censor portal. — Last night, Ukrainian units left part of the industrial zone in an organized manner. In the sector of the front where I was, the withdrawal took place under fire, but without losses. It's bitter to leave, but this decision is long overdue."
"Nowhere to go"
The retreat of Ukrainian troops in the LPR has not yet been confirmed. However, the republican commandant's office of Severodonetsk noted that not everyone left Azot.
"Negotiations are continuing. Our demand is first for civilians to get out of bomb shelters," they explained.
There may be 500-550 civilians in the bunkers. Some have already got out of there, but there is no organized evacuation.
"The military remaining on the Azot is not doing well. Shooting from their side is not enough, they take care of ammunition. They have nowhere to go," explained an officer of the LPR army with the call sign Fierce.
A street in Severodonetsk
Image source: © RIA Novosti / Viktor Antonyuk
The city was very seriously damaged during months of fighting, the new mayor Mark Vorzhev told reporters. Many houses are destroyed, there are problems with water, electricity and communication. Most of the population has long since left, but ten thousand people are still there.
The humanitarian situation, Vorzhev stressed, is close to critical — there is not enough food and medicines. The situation is complicated by constant shelling from neighboring Lisichansk, located on a hill
Blocked grouping
The satellite city of Lisichansk and its garrison of five to seven thousand soldiers have been in an operational environment since the middle of the week. Both routes from Artemovsk, along which the supply was going, were cut by Allied troops. In addition, another large group got into the cauldron to the south.
"A group of Ukrainian troops has been completely blocked in the area of the settlements of Gorskoye and Zolotoye. In the next, now "Mountain" cauldron, four battalions are surrounded: the 3rd mechanized battalion of the 24th Mechanized Brigade, the 15th mountain assault battalion of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade, the 42nd motorized infantry battalion of the 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade, the 70th battalion of the 101st Territorial Defense Brigade, as well as the brigade artillery group of the 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade, the formation of the Nazis of the "Right Sector" (banned in Russia. — Editor's note) and a detachment of foreign mercenaries," the Russian Defense Ministry informed.
And they clarified: these are about 1,800 military personnel, 120 Right Sector militants, up to 80 foreign mercenaries, as well as more than 40 units of armored combat vehicles and about 80 guns and mortars. Over the past day, 41 servicemen have voluntarily surrendered.
Special forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Donetsk region
Image Source: © AP Photo / Efrem Lukatsky
In total, according to the LPR army, more than 800 Ukrainian soldiers surrendered in this direction in two days. The APU lost a thousand killed and at least two thousand wounded.
The battles for Lisichansk continue. The forces of the LPR have gained a foothold on the southern outskirts — in the area of the factory of rubber and technical products. As the Assistant Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic Vitaly Kiselyov assured, in about a week the entire grouping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be blocked here. Allied troops will enter the administrative borders of the Luhansk region.
