Ukrainian troops begin to retreat from the besieged eastern city to a more powerful position

After several weeks of fierce fighting,Ukrainiantroops began to withdraw from the besieged city in the eastern part of the country and moved to a stronger position. .. Mark the Russianinvasion.

A planned withdrawal from Sieviero Donetsk, the administrative center of the Luhansk region, has reduced most of the industrial city to rubble and reduced the population from 100,000 to 10,000. Came after Russia's relentless bombardment. After a house-to-house battle with the Russians, Ukrainian troops withdrew to the huge Azot chemical factory on the edge of the city. There, about 500 civilians remain trapped in the vast underground structure where shelters were found.

Recently, Russian troops are making a profit around the neighboring city of Lysychans'k, on the steep bank across the river, to surround the Ukrainian troops.

Read more: Ukraine loses the main town of Luhansk because Russia claims to surround the army

Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk aim to occupy all Donbus and destroy the Ukrainian army that defends it. It was the focus of the Russian attack. Power. The two cities and their surrounding areas are the last major pockets of Ukrainian resistance in the Luhansk region, 95% of which are under the control of Russian and local separatists. Russians and separatists also dominate about half of the Donetsk region, the second province of Donetsk.

Russia used the numerical advantages of its army and weapons to defeat the war of attrition, Severodonetsk. Ukraine, on the other hand, sought better weapons from its Western allies. The bridge to the city was destroyed, reducing the ability of Ukrainian troops to supply, strengthen and evacuate injured and others. Much of the city's electricity, water and communications infrastructure has been destroyed.

Governor Luhansk, Selhiy Haidai, said Ukrainian troops were ordered to leave Sieviero Donetsk to prevent greater losses and move to a more fortified position. Roman Vlasenko, head of regional administration, said the withdrawal had already begun and would take several days.

"For now, Ukrainian troops are still in Sieviero Donetsk," Vrasenko told CNN. "They are now withdrawing from the city. It started yesterday."

"Unfortunately, we will have to pull the army away from the Sievierodonetsk," Haidai said. I told the Associated Press. "It doesn't make sense to stay in a destroyed position, and the number of killed in action continues to grow."

A senior U.S. defense official speaking in Washington on condition of anonymity said on Friday. The Ukrainian movement was called "tactical retrograde" and integrated into a position where the army could be better defended. This will add to Ukraine's efforts to keep Russian troops in small areas longer, officials said.

Heidi said some Ukrainian troops remained in Sieviero Donetsk and faced Russian bombardment that destroyed 80% of the buildings while the withdrawal was in progress.

"As of today, Sibelodneck's resistance continues," Haidai told AP. "Russians have relentlessly bombarded Ukraine's position and burned everything down."

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Heidi, Russians also from Zorote and Toshikifuka He added that Russian reconnaissance forces had invaded the edge of the city, but their defenders had expelled them. The governor added that the bridge leading to Lysychans'k was severely damaged by Russian airstrikes and could not be used for trucks. Ukrainian military analyst Oleg Zudanov told AP that some of the troops leaving Sieviero Donetsk are heading for battle in Lysychans'k.

According to other battlefield reports, the Russian Defense Ministry had four Ukrainian battalions and a total of about 2,000 soldiers on Friday. Declared a unit of "foreign mercenaries" that was "completely blocked" near Hirske and Zolote south of Lysychansk. It was not possible to confirm the allegations individually.

In the early stages of the invasion, which began in February, after a failed attempt to occupy the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. 24, the Russian army shifted its focus to Donbus. There, Ukrainian troops have been fighting Moscow-backed separatists since 2014. -A range of American rocket launchers have arrived and four more are in progress. U.S. defense officials are training more Ukrainian troops to use the High Mobile Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) outside Ukraine on Friday and are expected to return home with weapons by mid-July. Said that.

Rockets can travel about 45 miles (70 kilometers). Eighteen US coastal and river patrol boats will also be sent. Officials said there was no evidence that Russia had succeeded in blocking the steady flow of military aid from the United States and other countries to Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly threatened to strike or actually strike such cargo.

Other developments:

Ukraine approves The next day Zelensky, as a candidate to join the European Union, quietly celebrated the moment, rather than focusing on everything that Ukraine still had to do before it was accepted by the EU, and how far Ukraine was already away. I urged him to be proud. That Soviet past.

"I'm not happy that this is a Moscow slap, but I'm proud that this is a Ukrainian applause," he said in a nightly video speech. "It will inspire you. We deserve it. May God bless us all on a quiet night with a smile. Then tomorrow, we will fight again. With new power, With new wings. "

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In Tbilisi, Georgia, another former Soviet republic that applied for membership in the EU, thousands of people gathered on Friday to join the Prime Minister's government. He demanded the resignation of the prime minister on the grounds of default. The necessary reforms to join Ukraine in order for Georgia to be accepted as a candidate for EU accession. The European Council said this week that there is more work to be done before Georgia is given the status of a candidate.

Zelensky engages in a video rally, expresses his support for Georgia and participates in the fight against Russia Thank you to the Georgians who came to Ukraine. Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and now effectively controls two separate territories.

Read more: Russia continues the barrage of eastern Ukraine: "It's hell"

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Zelensky urged music fans at the Glastonbury Festival to "spread the truth about the war in Russia." Zelensky, who spoke to the audience in a video at a British music festival on Friday before The Libertines set, said: That's because the worst thing happened_Russia stole our peace.

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An employee of the pro-Moscow administration in the southern city of Kherson, captured by Russian troops early in the invasion, was killed in a Friday explosion. Kherson's pro-Russian local government said Dmitry Savruchenko died in what is called a "terrorist attack" when his car exploded. There was no immediate liability claim.

Yuraskarmanau reported from Lviv.

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