SEVERODONETSK: ZELENSKY TIES FATE OF EAST UKRAINE TO BATTLE FOR CITY

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY HAS SAID THAT FIGHTING FOR THE CITY OF SEVERODONETSK MAY DECIDE THE OUTCOME OF THE WAR IN THE EAST OF THE COUNTRY.

AS COMBAT RAGED IN THE INDUSTRIAL BELT WITH RUSSIAN AND SEPARATIST FORCES ZELENSKY SAYS IN MANY RESPECTS, THE FATE OF THE DONBAS IS BEING DECIDED THERE,”.

HE SAYS HIS TROOPS WERE INFLICTING MAJOR LOSSES ON ENEMY FORCES.

BUT A UKRAINIAN TOP OFFICIAL SAYS UKRAINIAN FORCES HAVE BEEN PUSHED BACK TO THE OUTSKIRTS AFTER RUSSIA “STARTED LEVELLING THE AREA WITH SHELLING AND AIR STRIKES ALTHOUGH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY THE RUSSIANS COMPLETELY CONTROL THE CITY,” HE ADDED.

Ukraine war: Another Russian general killed by Ukrainian forces

RUSSIAN STATE MEDIA HAS CONFIRMED THE DEATH OF ONE OF MOSCOW’S TOP GENERALS DURING HEAVY FIGHTING IN UKRAINE’S EASTERN DONBAS REGION.

MAJ GEN ROMAN KUTU-ZOV WAS KILLED LEADING AN ASSAULT ON A UKRAINIAN SETTLEMENT IN THE REGION.

HE HAD BEEN COMMANDING TROOPS FROM THE SELF-DECLARED DONETSK PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC.

RUSSIA’S DEFENCE MINISTRY HAS NOT COMMENTED ON THE REPORTS.

HIS DEATH COMES AS RUMOURS CIRCULATED ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT A SECOND SENIOR OFFICER, LT GEN ROMAN BERDNI-KOV, COMMANDER OF THE 29TH ARMY, WAS ALSO KILLED IN FIGHTING OVER THE WEEKEND.

RUSSIAN COMMANDERS HAVE BEEN INCREASINGLY FORCED TO THE FRONT IN AN ATTEMPT TO DRIVE FORWARD THE INVASION AND MOSCOW HAS CONFIRMED THE DEATHS OF THREE SENIOR GENERALS.

KYIV CLAIMS TO HAVE KILLED 12 GENERALS AND WESTERN INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS SAY AT LEAST SEVEN SENIOR COMMANDERS HAVE BEEN KILLED.

BUT THERE HAS BEEN CONFUSION OVER REPORTS OF THE DEATHS OF SEVERAL OTHER RUSSIAN OFFICERS. THREE GENERALS THAT UKRAINIAN FORCES CLAIMED TO HAVE KILLED HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN REPORTED TO BE ALIVE.

HEAVY FIGHTING AS RUSSIA ADVANCES INTO KEY EASTERN CITY

A REGIONAL GOVERNOR IN UKRAIN SERHIY HAIDAI HAS SAID FIGHTING IN THE UKRAINIAN CITY OF SEVERO-DONETSK IS “VERY FIERCE” AND THE “SITUATION IS VERY DIFFICULT” SAYING RUSSIAN TROOPS ARE ADVANCING AFTER ENTERING THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE KEY EASTERN CITY