Ukraine's troops retreated from disputed Svitlodarsk town, avers Regional military chief

As war rages on unabated in Eastern Europe, Donetsk regional military ministration chief Pavlo Kyrylenko claimed that Russian forces have occupied disputed town of Svitlodarsk in eastern Donbas area. According to a CNN report, Kyrylenko furr asserted that Ukrainian troops have retreated from place. official said, “Today, May 24, Russian army entered Svitlodarsk in Donetsk region. Russian flags have alrey been hoisted re." 

Regional military chief Kyrylenko went on to say that Svitlodarsk was surrounded on three sides and did not receive heavy shelling, thus, a large portion of civilian population stayed back. He ded, “About 10,000 civilians remain in occupied Svitlodarsk. No more than 30% of population left city.” 

Furrmore, Pavlo Kyrylenko also noted, “This is not a retreat (of Ukrainian Armed Forces), but a regrouping”. He clarified that in this scenario, saving Ukrainian military's lives and regrouping is proper and reasonable decision. 

In dition to this, Russian flag was placed atop local government building in Svitlodarsk, according to pro-Russian Telegram accounts. 

In Lyman  condition is very difficult

In Lyman, a city farr north in Donetsk area, regional military chief characterised condition as very difficult. He stated that it is currently under "constant fire." He furr ded that long ago,  invers infiltrated Lyman region and ir main objective was to seize control of Lyman community. “ estuary is now partially under control, y enter, n y are kicked out, heavy artillery drives in, and tanks enter outskirts of city to conduct shelling and occupy entire center and entire Lyman community,” he stated.  

Meanwhile, earlier on May 20, Kremlin announced that its forces h fully freed besieged Azovstal steel factory in Mariupol. According to CNN, Russian Ministry of Defence spokesperson Major General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement that final group of 531 insurgents has surrendered, referring to Ukrainian soldiers who h resisted Russian assault on complex for weeks. According to media reports, this came after Lieutenant Colonel Denys Prokopenko, Ukraine commander of Azov Regiment, h ordered Azov Regiment to stop defending Mariupol city. 

Apart from this, President of war-torn Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has shed light on number of casualties suffered by Ukrainian military in Donbas, alleging that up to 100 Ukrainian soldiers may be killed every day. most violent fighting, according to Guardian, is currently occurring in Luhansk, one of two provinces that constitute Donbas.

(Image: AP)