Severodonetsk falls to Russia; Spy chief hints at when Ukrainian counteroffensive may get under way | Ukraine war live

As we reported earlier, the mayor of the eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk said it had fallen to Russian forces. 

Now, the Russian Ministry of Defence has confirmed the report in a Telegram post. 

“The units of the LPR People’s Militia, with the support of Russian troops under the command of Army General S.V. Surovikin, as a result of successful offensive operations, completely liberated Severodonetsk and Borovskoye, Voronovo and Sirotino of LPR,” it said. 

“Thus, the enemy’s attempt to turn the industrial zone of the Severodonetsk Azot enterprise into a stubborn center of resistance was thwarted.” 

The city, which is in the region of Luhansk, had become a fierce battleground in recent weeks and had seen Russian and Ukrainian forces fighting street-by-street. 

Its fall will be a key victory for Russia, which is aiming to take all of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region (made up of both Luhansk and neighbouring Donetsk).