The withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Severodonetsk means that Lisichansk, across the river, has become the only city in Lugansk that is still under Ukrainian control. In the past few days, the area south of Lisichansk has become the focus of contention between the offensive and defensive sides.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on June 24 that it had blocked Lisichansk from the south. The " New York Times " reported: From Zolotoye to Gorskoye, from Toshkovka to Milna Dolina, these villages and towns were successively destroyed by the Russian army in just a few days. captured, which means that the Ukrainian army's defense lines around Lischichansk are rapidly losing ground.
The Institute for War Studies, an American think tank, analyzed that the Battle of Severodonetsk was not a "decisive victory" for the Russian army, nor was it a major turning point in the entire Russia-Ukraine war. Western media generally believe that compared with Severodonetsk, the next battle in Lisichansk may be more brutal. The Russian army made Severonetsk the focus of its offensive in early May. It took more than a month until the Ukrainian army announced its withdrawal. Lisichansk has a higher terrain and more complex terrain. It was not easy for the Russian army to capture Lisichansk in a short period of time. Source: CCTV News Client
