Russian forces capture ‘strategically important’ town of Lyman in eastern Ukraine Russian defence ministry said it had ‘liberated

Russian forces capture ‘strategically important’ town of Lyman in eastern Ukraine
Russian defence ministry said it had ‘liberated’ the town from Ukrainian nationalists

The town of Lyman in eastern Ukraine has fallen under Russian control as Vladimir Putin’s forces make gains in the Donbas region.

It follows several days of fighting for control of the town.

A statement from the Russian defence ministry read: “Following the joint actions of the units of the militia of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Russian armed forces, the town of Lyman has been entirely liberated from Ukrainian nationalists.”

On Friday, Ukraine had said although Russia had captured most of Lyman its forces were blocking an advance to Sloviansk, a city 12 miles south west.

An intelligence update from the UK’s Ministry of Defence said the capture of Lyman is “is likely a preliminary operation for the next stage of Russia’s Donbas offensive”.

It stated Lyman was “strategically important” because it is the site of a major railway junction, and gives access to important rail and road bridges over the Siverskyy Donets River.

And it expected Russian units now to prioritise forcing a crossing of the river to gain an advantage in the potential next phase of the Donbas offensive, when they are likely to advance on key Ukrainian-held cities Sloviansk and Kramatorsk deeper in the Donetsk region

Russian forces are also reported to have entered the city of Severodonetsk.

Serhiy Gaidai, Luhansk’s governor, said Russian troops had entered the largest Donbas city still held by Ukraine after trying to trap Ukrainian forces there for days.

[link to inews.co.uk (secure)]