Ukraine says situation ‘has worsened’ in key city as Russian shelling ramps up

KYIV, Ukraine — A regional governor in Ukraine says that the situation in a key eastern town has worsened.

Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai says today that fierce fighting is continuing in the city of Severodonetsk in the epicenter of the Russian offensive. He describes the combat situation as “quite dynamic.”

“Our defenders managed to conduct counteroffensive and free nearly half of the city, but the situation has worsened again now,” Haidai tells the AP. “Our guys are defending the positions in the industrial zone on the outskirts of the city.”

“The shelling of Severodonetsk has intensified, (the Russians) are destroying everything in line with their scorched earth tactics,” he alleges.

Haidai says that the Russians have continued intensive bombardment also of nearby Lysychansk.

The Russians “have an enormous amount of equipment and personnel, they have pulled up a lot of reserves,” he says. He adds that they had shelled a humanitarian center in Lysychansk and destroyed a bakery, and that 98 people had left the town over the past 24 hours.

Haidai says that a key highway between Bakhmut and Lysychansk has been under constant shelling even though it remains in Ukrainian hands.