The British Telegraph writes that: “Russia is closing in on a ‘tactical’ victory in Severodonetsk as it takes neighbouring villages. The loss of the town is a ‘clear setback’ for the Ukrainians, but experts say Kremlin troops could still face long battles to capture key towns’. Elegant pr way of telling readers that they should prepare themselves to be told that Moscow has taken the entire Severodonetsk area, after all the proclamations of imminent victory made earlier.
The reality coming out of those who are ‘boots on the ground’ is unfortunately different from the wishes of the British media. The LPR ambassador to the Russian Federation Miroshnik stated that some 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers were in the cauldron at Hirs’ke and Zolote and ‘give signs that they are ready to surrender’. Contrary to British claims, the LPR Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that: ‘Lisichansk and Severodonetsk will be completely blocked within a maximum of one week’. The Ukrainians on the voice of Arestovich reported that there is only an attempted encirclement.
It was then reported that Major Yuriy Nazaruk of the GUR of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry was killed in Severodonetsk. He had been part of a helicopter landing operation in Mariupol and was one of the few survivors.
The industrial zone in Lisichansk, as well as in Mariupol and Severodonetsk, is being prepared for defence by Ukrainian militants. The armed forces of Ukraine are delivering ammunition and weapons to the industrial facilities in Lisichansk. Fighting is reported in industrial areas on the southern outskirts of Lysychansk, where units of the 24th Brigade, 80th Division and 110th Brigade of the Teroborone Brigade are holding positions at a gelatine factory and a rubber goods factory
The LPR NM specified that the areas of Zolote-3 and Zolote-4 were taken in the morning of 23 June; fighting continues for the complete occupation of Zolote and Hirs’ke. The Russian NM and LPR Forces are closing in on the cauldron area: in addition to Zolote-4, Zolote-3 (Stakhanov), also taken Katerinovka, Novoivanovka and the coal mine area in Hirs’ke
From various social sources and Russian Tass, it is reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces mined a dam in the village of Maloryazantseve in several places, which is located a few kilometres from Lisichansk.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the NM of the LPR took control of the road from Seversk to Lisichansk after reaching Vovchoyarivka. The Ukrainian forces are in fact cut off from supplies, it is no longer possible to use the highway safely. The operational encirclement of the Ukrainian forces is effectively over.
Graziella Giangiulio
