Destruction in Severodonetsk, Ukraine, on May 19. (Serhii Hayday / Telegram)
The Ukrainian military said 12 people were killed in the eastern Luhansk region and 60 properties were destroyed by Russian bombing on Thursday.
But, they note, Russian forces appear to have made no progress on the main fronts in Luhansk and Donetsk over the past day.
Death of civilians: 12 people were killed in the city of Severodonetsk, according to the head of the military administration in Lugansk Sergei Haidai.
Heide said many homes were destroyed throughout the area.
Holding lines: Despite heavy bombardment, Ukrainians say their defensive lines are holding. “The attack on Severodonetsk was unsuccessful. The Russians lost personnel and withdrew,” Heidei said.
State of the city: Alexander Stryuk, head of the city’s military administration in Severodonetsk, said there were still up to 15,000 civilians in the city living in bomb shelters and basements.
“The city has been without electricity, internet and communication for almost a week,” he said. “About 70% of the city’s housing stock has been destroyed.
The Russians continue: south of Severodonetsk, Russian forces have tried to break through the town of Toshkivka, according to the Ukrainian General Staff.
In an effort to complete the conquest of Luhansk, the Russians also tried to push for the small town of Vyskriva. If they succeed, they will also be closer to another goal: the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk, which has become a hub for the Ukrainian army as it tries to resume its defensive positions.
At the front in Donetsk, the shelling of settlements north of Slavyansk continued.
Further north, in the Kharkiv region, where Ukrainian forces have launched a counter-offensive in recent weeks, Russian shelling continues in areas occupied by Ukrainian forces, according to the Ukrainian military. The city itself has seen far fewer incoming fires.
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