Ukraine claims 2 settlements in Luhansk remain under Kyiv's control amid Russian assault

Serhiy Haidai, the head of the Luhansk regional military administration, has said that two settlements in the region continue to remain under the control of Ukraine. In a Telegram post, Serhiy Haidai said that Ukrainian forces continue to "maintain defence on the outskirts of Luhansk region". He accused Russian forces of burning the literature of Ukraine and added that only the Russian network continues to operate in the region.

"Two settlements in the Luhansk region are still holding back the Russian onslaught. The region continues to maintain its defense, two villages keep the Russians in terror, Orcs die on Luhansk land," Serhiy Haidai wrote in a Telegram post. 

Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said that access to the Internet remains "limited" in the region. He accused the Russian armed forces of stealing the Ukrainian grain and taking it to Russia through Kamaz vehicles. He claimed that there is a "humanitarian disaster" in the regions that were recently captured by Russian forces and added that Russian-occupied regions will not be able to survive the winter season. The statement of Luhansk regional official comes amid the unabated war between Russia and Ukraine which continues for more than four months. 

Russia trying to displace Ukrainian troops using aviation: Haidai

Serhiy Haidai has accused Russian forces of trying to displace the Ukrainian troops using aviation. Taking to his Twitter handle, Haidai said that Russian armed forces try to take control of small settlements on the Donetsk and Luhansk border in a bid to block large cities.

He said that villages and towns were hit by four airstrikes on 11th July. Furthermore, Haidai said that Russian forces carried out artillery shelling and three mortar attacks. He claimed that Russian forces have been trying to enter Slovyansk and Sieversk from Lysychansk and added that Moscow's troops continue to remain unsuccessful. 

'Russia does not have even an iota of courage to admit defeat': Zelenskyy 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that "Russia does not have the courage to admit defeat." In his late-night video address on 12th July, Zelenskyy said that Russian forces are afraid of Ukrainian troops and added Moscow's troops have been fighting "only on the basis of bottomless stocks of old Soviet weapons".

He stressed that the forces of Russia no longer have "strategic strength" and understanding of what they were doing in Ukrainian territory. He said that Russian forces continue to carry out missile strikes in Mykolaiv and hit regions of Kharkiv. 

Image: AP