In the past few days, the Russian army has encountered multiple Ukrainian troops trying to retreat from Lisichansk in the Upper Kamyanka area. The two sides engaged in fierce exchanges of fire in an area about 4 kilometers south of Lisichansk. The Russian army used its superior firepower to push back the Ukrainian army and successfully captured the village of Okanyansk to the west of the refinery. Currently, in order to defend the important town of Seversk on the second line of defense of the Ukrainian army in the North Don River region, Ukraine The Russian army is desperately carrying out reinforcements to the areas around Seversk, with the purpose of preventing the Russian army from attacking Seversk westward after the defense of Lisichansk collapses.
Seversk is an important strategic support point and transportation hub connecting Lisichansk and Slavyansk. Once Seversk falls, all the Ukrainian army’s bridgeheads on the south bank of the Don River will be occupied, and the Ukrainian army relies on natural barriers to stop it. The Russian army's strategy of moving southward will be completely bankrupt. There are currently about 6,000 Ukrainian troops stationed in the Lisichansk and Seversk areas. However, after three weeks of hard fighting, the supplies in the two places have been exhausted, and ammunition and weapons and equipment are on the verge of depletion. They have begun to "show off their special abilities" one after another. Escape from the battlefield and retreat using various means of transportation including buses and private cars. In the direction of the North Don River, the Ukrainian army occupying natural dangers did not even dare to counterattack the Russian army crossing the river.
It is reported that a small unit of the Russian Airborne Forces has successfully crossed the river and entered the south bank of the North Don River. While they established a forward position, they have penetrated deep into the hilly area between Seversk and Lisichansk. Due to the Ukrainian 80th Airborne Brigade When the special forces of the intelligence agency directly under the Ukrainian General Staff retreated in panic, they entered the Russian-controlled area. Therefore, in a recent encounter, more than 300 Ukrainian elite troops were killed and injured, and more than 200 were captured. people. The troops crossing the river are currently advancing to the north of Bilopivka and Lisichansk.
Sources from Luhansk local pro-Russian armed forces said that the troops currently attacking in Lisichansk have controlled 30% of the city. The Russian army has gained advantages in the east, southeast and southwest of the city, and the vanguard has broken into to the central city. At present, the Lisichansk defenders have no intention of fighting. Most of the defenders are trying to retreat while fighting. However, under the circumstances of being surrounded on three sides, the possibility of the Ukrainian army in the Lisichansk encirclement successfully retreating is getting lower and lower. It is generally believed that the Kiev authorities have actually given up on Lisichansk and instead stuck to Seversk.
Analysts pointed out that if everything goes well, it may only take a few days for the Russian army to completely occupy Lisichansk. By then, the Russian side will announce the complete "liberation" of the Luhansk area. This important result will be promoted by Putin In the first stage, be prepared for the decisive battle in Donbas. The strategic decisive battle between the two sides around Slavyansk and Kramatorsk will directly determine the direction of the battle in Donbas. Currently, the Ukrainian army is stationed in the above two cities and in the surrounding areas. There are about 60,000 troops, and there are 20,000 to 30,000 troops behind them and in the Zaporozhye area. About 100,000 Ukrainian troops have no way to retreat and are bound to have a "head-to-head" confrontation with the Russian army. This means that the real contest between the two sides will be It will be officially staged in July.
