Russia's defense minister on Sunday claimed it had taken the strategic Ukrainian city of Lysychansk after fighting intensified over the weekend, while deadly blasts rocked Russia's Belgorod, near the Ukraine border, the regional governor said Sunday.
Rodion Miroshnik, ambassador to Russia of the pro-Moscow self-styled Luhansk People’s Republic, told Russian television that “Lysychansk has been brought under control,” but added: “Unfortunately, it is not yet liberated.”
Russian media showed videos of Luhansk militia parading in Lysychansk streets waving flags and cheering, but Ukraine National Guard spokesman Ruslan Muzychuk told Ukrainian national television the city remained in Ukrainian hands.
“Now there are fierce battles near Lysychansk, however, fortunately, the city is not surrounded and is under the control of the Ukrainian army,” Muzychuk said.
He said the situations in the Lysychansk and Bakhmut areas and the Kharkiv region were the most difficult on the entire front line.
“The goal of the enemy here remains access to the administrative border of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Also, in the Sloviansk direction, the enemy is attempting assault actions,” he said.
Meanwhile, Russia accused Kyiv on Sunday of firing three missiles at the city of Belgorod near the Ukraine border in strikes that killed at least four people.
At least three people have died and dozens of houses have been damaged in the Russian city of Belgorod, near the border with Ukraine, the regional governor said on Sunday.
Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported a number of blasts in the city of nearly 400,000, some 40 kilometers north of the border with Ukraine.
At least 11 apartment buildings and 39 houses were damaged, including five that were destroyed, Gladkov said on the Telegram messaging app.
High-ranking Russian lawmaker Andrei Klishas accused Ukraine of shelling Belgorod and called for a military response.
“The deaths of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Belgorod are a direct act of aggression on the part of Ukraine and require the most serious – including a military – response,” Klishas wrote on Telegram.
There was no immediate response from Ukraine and international reporters were unable to verify Russian accounts independently.
Rodion Miroshnik, ambassador to Russia of the pro-Moscow self-styled Luhansk People’s Republic, told Russian television that “Lysychansk has been brought under control,” but added: “Unfortunately, it is not yet liberated.”
Russian media showed videos of Luhansk militia parading in Lysychansk streets waving flags and cheering, but Ukraine National Guard spokesman Ruslan Muzychuk told Ukrainian national television the city remained in Ukrainian hands.
“Now there are fierce battles near Lysychansk, however, fortunately, the city is not surrounded and is under the control of the Ukrainian army,” Muzychuk said.
He said the situations in the Lysychansk and Bakhmut areas and the Kharkiv region were the most difficult on the entire front line.
“The goal of the enemy here remains access to the administrative border of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Also, in the Sloviansk direction, the enemy is attempting assault actions,” he said.
Meanwhile, Russia accused Kyiv on Sunday of firing three missiles at the city of Belgorod near the Ukraine border in strikes that killed at least four people.
At least three people have died and dozens of houses have been damaged in the Russian city of Belgorod, near the border with Ukraine, the regional governor said on Sunday.
Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported a number of blasts in the city of nearly 400,000, some 40 kilometers north of the border with Ukraine.
At least 11 apartment buildings and 39 houses were damaged, including five that were destroyed, Gladkov said on the Telegram messaging app.
High-ranking Russian lawmaker Andrei Klishas accused Ukraine of shelling Belgorod and called for a military response.
“The deaths of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Belgorod are a direct act of aggression on the part of Ukraine and require the most serious – including a military – response,” Klishas wrote on Telegram.
There was no immediate response from Ukraine and international reporters were unable to verify Russian accounts independently.
