MOSCOW (Reuters) – Ukrainian forces have retreated from the bombed-out city of Lesi-Chansk after Russia claimed full control of eastern Luhansk, a key target of its war.
On the other hand, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has vowed to regain the lost territory.
Ukraine said on Sunday that the withdrawal from the region was part of a strategy aimed at saving the lives of its troops.
According to him, the aim is to reorganize and launch a counter-attack against Russia with the help of long-range Western weapons.
Russia, however, has said that the capture of Lessie Chanesk in less than a week after the capture of the nearby city of Sverdonetsk means that it has liberated Luhansk.
Russia says it will cede the territory of Luhansk to the self-proclaimed Russian-backed Luhansk People’s Republic, whose independence it recognized during the war.
Russia is now focusing on the area of the nearby industrial city of Donetsk, which is still largely occupied by Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said in a video statement on Sunday that if the commanders of our army withdraw their troops from certain positions in front.
Where the onslaught of the enemy is most intense and the situation is the same in Lesotho Chanesk, it only means that we change our strategy with the increase in the supply of modern weapons.
Ukraine’s president says Russia is stepping up its offensive on the Donbass front, but Ukraine will retaliate with long-range weapons such as US-supplied rocket launchers, hammers (high-mobility artillery rocket systems). ۔
“In fact, we, our soldiers, protect the lives of our people. We will get our land back and our people must be the safest,” he added.
The Russian military has been targeting the central city of Donbass since abandoning its plan to attack the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
The region includes Luhansk and Donetsk, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting Ukraine since 2014.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has informed President Vladimir Putin that Luhansk has been liberated.
