Smoke rises after a military attack on a compound of the Azot chemical plant in Svyarodonetsk, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in the city of Luhansk in the Luhansk region of Ukraine on June 10, 2022.
Alexander Ratushniak | Reuters
Fierce fighting ensued in Svyarodonetsk, but the region’s governor said Ukraine was in control of an industrial area and chemical plant in the eastern city where hundreds of civilians are taking refuge from relentless Russian shelling.
A Russian-backed separatist group claimed on Saturday that 300 to 400 Ukrainian fighters were also trapped at the Azot plant.
Governor Serhi Gaidai previously acknowledged that Russian forces now control most of the small town in Luhansk province, and said Russian shelling of the plant had ignited a major fire following an oil spill. It was not immediately known whether the fire was still burning on Sunday.
In the neighboring Donetsk province to the west, Russian media reported that a large cloud of smoke could be seen after an explosion in the town of Avdeevka, which houses another chemical plant.
Svyarodonetsk in eastern Ukraine has become the center of the battle for control over the industrialized Donbass region made up of Luhansk and Donetsk provinces. Weeks of fighting have battered parts of the city and have been some of the bloodiest since the invasion of Moscow began on February 24.
After being forced to withdraw its initial campaign goals, including withdrawing troops that threatened Kyiv, Moscow has turned to expanding control in the Donbass, where pro-Russian separatists have invaded the area since 2014. has captured.
Putin called the invasion a “special military operation” to disarm and “reject” Ukraine. Kyiv and its allies call this an unprovoked war of aggression to capture the region.
Ukraine said some 800 people were hiding in bomb shelters under the Azot plant, including workers and city residents.
The eastern city of Svierodonetsk has been hit by intense artillery and missile attacks by the Russian military.
SOPA Images | LightRocket | Getty Images
“No one can say how many victims have been in Svyerodonetsk in the last 24 hours, where fierce fighting continues,” Gedai said on the Telegram messaging app on Sunday.
“Yes, people are constantly in shelters, but Russians are firing for hours in residential areas, using large-capacity artillery,” he said. “Everyone wants to evacuate now, perhaps, but so far there is no such possibility,”
A woman was killed in Russian shelling, while four homes and a shopping center were destroyed – in the twin city of Svyarodonetsk – across the Donets River – in Lisichansk.
According to a daily update from the General Staff of Ukraine, south and southwest of Svyarodonetsk, Russian forces were firing mortars and artillery around several settlements.
But it said Ukrainian forces had repelled Russian attempts to advance towards some communities.
Reuters could not independently confirm the battlefield reports.
Ukraine resilient, support needed
Worst-hit Ukraine has appealed to the West for rapid deliveries of heavy weapons, including missile systems, to turn the tide of the war.
The Ukrainian military has proved more resilient than expected, but the US-based Institute for the Study of War said that since they use their last stock of Soviet-era weapons and munitions, they will need continued Western support.
Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kirilenko said two civilians were killed and at least 10 wounded in Russian shelling on Saturday.
Ukrainian tankers open fire on a front line position near the town of Soledar in the Donetsk region on June 10, 2022.
Anatoly Stepanov | AFP | Getty Images
In the northeastern city of Kharkiv, some students returned to their destroyed school to hold a prom, dance and posing for pictures in the ruins.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi will visit Kyiv before a Group of Seven summit in late June, Germany’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported, citing French and Ukrainian government sources. .
None of the three have been to Kyiv since the Russian invasion. Macron has sought to maintain talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a stance some see as undermining efforts to push Eastern European and Baltic countries into talks.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU executive’s opinion on the EU’s request to join the EU would be ready in the coming week.
All 27 EU governments will have to agree to grant Ukraine candidate status, which will then lead to extensive negotiations on the reforms needed before the country can be considered for membership.
Volodymyr Trash, governor of the Ternopil region in western Ukraine, said a Russian airstrike hit the Chortkiv city area on Saturday evening. Russian aircraft had not attacked the area since early April. The mayor of Chortkiv urged all residents to stay in shelters.
Russian news agencies said Russian authorities have begun handing over Russian passports to two occupied Ukrainian cities – Kherson and Melitopol. It was not known how many were distributed.
Speaking at an Asian Security Conference in Singapore, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe urged all sides to pursue peace talks.
Wei said, “China is committed to promoting peace talks. China supports talks between Russia and Ukraine. We also expect the US and NATO to negotiate with Russia to create conditions for an early ceasefire.” will do.”
China refused to call Russia’s action an attack and said sanctions would not solve the problem.
Responding to a question, Wei said that China never gave any material aid to Russia. However, data shows it is accelerating purchases of Russian oil.