Overnight Russian forces were shelling Sumy Oblast, northeastern Ukraine, from their territory. The invading forces used artillery and rocket attacks against the region, formerly occupied by Russians. As the result, an agricultural enterprise was destroyed, Sumy governor Dmytro Zhyvitsky has said in a statement.
Ukraine’s defense forces inflicted heavy losses on the Russian army and forced it to retreat in the areas of the settlements of Novopil (Donetsk Oblast) and Novodarivka (Zaporizhzhya Oblast).
Although yesterday Russian propagandist media RIA reported that Ukraine has lost control over Luhansk Oblast, Ukrainian troops keep fighting for the region.
Severodonetsk, a city, almost surrounded by Russian forces and mostly destroyed by invaders’ shelling, keeps holding the line. Ukrainians managed to push back the Russian troops farther from the city.
“Street fighting broke out in some places, but the Russian army was pushed back to previously occupied positions, Luhansk Oblast governor Serhiy Hayday said.
According to him, another bridge between Severodonetsk and Lysychansk was damaged, but the connection between the cities remains possible.
In general, Ukrainian forces repelled eight attacks in Donbas over the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian Army General Staff reported in the morning update from the front.
Five tanks, 10 armored vehicles, and four enemy vehicles were destroyed. Air defense units destroyed a Russian Orlan-10 drone.
The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has destroyed a Russian tactical company group with equipment and manpower. In the Kharkiv Oblast Ukrainian stormtroopers shot down a Russian modern Ka-52 combat helicopter.
The Russians are trying to develop success in the Bakhmut direction of Donetsk Oblast. The invading forces have been trying to reach the rear of Ukrainian troops and disrupt logistics. With the support of mortar and artillery fire, Russians carried out offensive and assault operations in the areas of the settlements of Nagirne, Vasylivka, and Komyshuvakha, but with no success so far.
Overall Russia lost 30,000 soldiers killed in action in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion in February. Yet, Putin has no intention to stop the massacre and has been conducting hidden mobilization in Russia, Ukrainian General Staff has reported.