Ukraine claims to 'clean up Severodonetsk' in 2-3 days if they get Western long-range arms

A regional Ukrainian official has claimed that Ukraine will be able to "clean up Severodonetsk in two or three days" if they receive Western long-range weapons. Serhiy Haidai, Governor of Luhansk, in a post on Telegram said that Russian forces continue with their "primitive tactics" like heavy artillery firing. He said that the industrial zone in Severodonetsk remains under constant shelling.

"If we get Western long-range weapons quickly, an artillery duel will begin, the Soviet Union will lose to the West, and our defenders will be able to clean up Severodonetsk in two or three days," Serhiy Haidai said in the post on Telegram.

Serhiy Haidai said that the street fighting between forces of Russia and Ukraine continues in Severodonetsk. According to Haidai, evacuation and transportation of rubber goods continues to remain impossible in Severodonetsk. He stressed that the hospitals in the region have all the necessary medical equipment for the treatment of people who have been injured. He claimed that Russian forces have not captured the Lysychansk-Bakhmut road and they continue to "constant storm it." Furthermore, Luhansk Governor Haidai accepted the difficulties of fighting with Russian troops. He said that maybe Ukrainian forces "will have to retreat", according to AP. However, he added that the battle between the forces of both sides continues in Severodonetsk. He said that Russian forces were using artillery, mortars, and tanks in Severodonetsk "to wipe the city off the face of the Earth and capture it completely." 

Zelenskyy calls Severodonetsk 'epicenter' of combat in Donbass

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his late-night video address on Wednesday, 8 June, said that Severodonetsk remains the "epicenter" of combat in Donbass. Zelenskyy said that fight in Severodonetsk is "one of the most difficult" battles seen so far and called it a "very fierce battle." The British Ministry of Defence in their latest defence update on Thursday, 8 June, said that the fighting between forces of Russia and Ukraine continues in Severodonetsk. It further said that Russia's Eastern Group of Forces has likely ramped up their efforts to move towards the south of Izium. As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues for day 106, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry has said that around 31,500 Russian troops have lost their lives since Moscow's military offensive began on February 24. 

"Severodonetsk remains the epicenter of the confrontation in Donbas. We defend our positions, inflict significant losses on the enemy. This is a very fierce battle, very difficult. Probably one of the most difficult throughout this war," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his video address. 

Image: AP