Russia seeking to surround Lysychansk, capture Severodonetsk

Ukraine’s defence ministry says Russian forces are seeking to surround the embattled city of Lysychansk and are mounting assaults on its sister city of Severodonetsk to establish full control.

The region’s governor said earlier that Ukrainian troops would “have to be withdrawn” from Severodonetsk and that they had been ordered to take up new positions.

Defence ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzyanyk declined to comment on the governor’s remarks and told reporters at a briefing in Kyiv that the information was “closed” to the public.

--------

The Russian army encircled several Ukrainian military units, Nazi formations and a group of foreign mercenaries around the communities of Gorskoye and Zolotoye in the Lugansk area in the special operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Friday.

"In a new encirclement, this time around Gorskoye, four battalions have been trapped: 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, and also a brigade artillery group of the 57th motorized infantry brigade, a Nazi formation of the Right Sector [outlawed in Russia as an extremist organization] and a group of foreign mercenaries," the spokesman said.

The Ukrainian battlegroup has been completely sealed off, the general stressed. In all, up to 2,000 Ukrainian troops have been trapped, he added.

"About 1,800 military personnel, 120 Right Sector Nazis, up to 80 foreign mercenaries and also over 40 combat armored vehicles and around 80 guns and mortars," the spokesman specified, adding that 41 Ukrainian soldiers had voluntarily surrendered in that area in the past 24 hours alone.

The Ukrainian battlegroup encircled by the Russian army in Gorskoye and Zolotoye in the Lugansk area is exhausted and less than 40% manned, Konashenkov said.

"As POWs say, the encircled Ukrainian battlegroup is exhausted and less than 40% manned. The higher Ukrainian military command has lost command and control of the troops. The supplies of weapons, ammunition, fuel and other inventory have been completely halted," the spokesman said.

The Russian troops are tightening their grip around the communities of Gorskoye and Zolotoye, continuously inflicting damage on the enemy by firepower. The Russian forces gained control of a half of the community of Zolotoye on June 23, the general added.