Ukraine war: Russian forces break through defensive line in Battle of Donbas

Russian forces have broken through a key defensive line as they push to capture a critical city in the Luhansk Province.

Russian forces are closing in on Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk. Picture: IWS

Russian forces have broken through a key Ukrainian defence line in the push to control the breakaway Luhansk Province.

Vladimir Putin’s invading army has tightened its grip around two cities in the east of Ukraine — Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk, setting up a pivotal showdown with Ukrainian defenders.

The Battle of Donbas has raged since April this year, with Moscow focused on securing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions after its forces failed to capture Kyiv.

And in a major development, the Russian army has reportedly broke through a defensive line and captured a number of key villages, the New York Times reports.

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Smoke and dirt rise from the city of Sievierodonetsk during fighting between Ukrainian and Russian troops. Picture: ARIS MESSINIS / AFP

Russian forces appeared close to consolidating control of Sievierodonetsk, a key industrial city in the Luhansk region that Ukraine troops have fought determinedly to hold.

Ukrainian forces in Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk now face a choice — stay and defend the cities, risking encirclement, or withdraw and give up the major urban centres to Moscow.

Russia has almost completely conquered Sievierodonetsk, with only a few pockets of resistance remaining. Across the Siversky Donets River, Ukrainian artillery is holed up in the hills of Lysychansk.

Capturing Sievierodonetsk has become a key goal for the Russians, as it would open the road to Sloviansk and another major city, Kramatorsk.

Russian forces are closing in on Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk. Picture: IWS

The Russians have destroyed the three bridges spanning a river between the city and Lysychansk just to the west, which is “likely to isolate the remaining Ukrainian defenders within the city from critical lines of communication,” according to the US Institute of War.

“Sievierodonetsk is a key point in the defence operation system of Lugansk region,” Valeriy Zaluzhny, the Ukraine military’s commander-in-chief, said Wednesday on Telegram.

“The enemy has concentrated its main strike forces in the north and is trying to attack in nine directions at once,” he said, calling the fighting “fierce.”

From an elevated position in Lysychansk, an AFP team saw black smoke rising from the Azot chemical factory in Sievierodonetsk and another area in the city.

The Ukrainian military was using the high ground to exchange fire with Russian forces across the river.

“It’s scary, very scary,” 83-year-old Lysychansk pensioner Valentina said. “Why can’t they agree at last, for God’s sake, just shake hands?”

Ukrainian soldiers inspect a destroyed warehouse reportedly targeted by Russian troops on outskirts of Lysychansk. Picture: ARIS MESSINIS / AFP

Ukraine’s brand-new weapons

At another location in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian forces paraded and fired their new French-supplied truck-mounted Caesar howitzers.

“This system is primarily very manoeuvrable and mobile,” said the commander of the system, who gave his name only as Glib. “In modern warfare, this is a crucial factor.

In Brussels Ukraine’s defence minister Oleksiy Reznikov and other officials met with some 50 countries of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at NATO headquarters asking for a surge in weapons and ammunition.

“Brussels, we are waiting for a decision,” Mykhaylo Podolyak, a senior aide to Zelensky, said ahead of the meeting, warning that Ukraine’s artillery is outgunned 10 to one by the Russians.

“Ukraine is really in a very critical situation and therefore, it’s an urgent need to step up,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg told journalists.

Top US defence officials defended the pace of arms deliveries while stressing that some weapons Kyiv wants, like the Himars systems, require weeks of training before they can enter battle.

Multi-launch rocket systems engaging Russian targets. Picture: Gary Ramage

“We really are focused on what the leadership believes that its current needs are in this fight,” said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

“And I think that the international community has done a pretty good job of providing that capability. But it’s never enough,” he said.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, insisted that on every request from his Ukraine counterpart, “as rapidly as possible we get a source through the international community, through the United States and our allies and partners, and we get it done as rapidly as we can.” - Putin speaks to Xi - Putin meanwhile underscored that he was not as isolated internationally as his foes would wish with a call with China’s Xi, their second reported call since Russian attacked Ukraine on February 24.

The Kremlin said that the two leaders agreed to ramp up economic co-operation in the face of “unlawful” Western sanctions.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said Xi tol Putin that Beijing is “willing to continue to offer mutual support (to Russia) on issues concerning core interests and major concerns such as sovereignty and security.” China has refused to condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and has been accused of providing diplomatic cover for Russia by criticising Western sanctions and arms sales to Kyiv.

A Russian serviceman patrols outside the town of Schast'ye on June 11. Picture: AFP

China expresses support for Russia

US President Joe Biden announced $1 billion worth of new arms for Ukraine Wednesday as Pentagon officials defended the pace and quality of supplies as meeting Kyiv’s battlefield needs.

Ukrainian troops shelled Russian targets on the front lines in the eastern Donbas region with newly-arrived French Caesar howitzers, as Ukraine officials met in Brussels with Western allies, hoping to obtain more ammunition and more lethal weapons to turn the tables on the invaders.

A Russian Armoured personnel carrier following street fighting in February. Picture: AFP

Russian forces continued to pressure Kyiv’s troops in Donbas, as Russian President Vladimir Putin held new phone discussions with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, in which Xi expressed support for Russia’s “sovereignty and security.” The newest US arms package features 18 more 155mm howitzers and 36,000 rounds of ammunition for them; two land-based Harpoon anti-ship missile systems; and additional rockets for four Himars precision rocket artillery systems that Ukraine is soon to put in the field.

Biden said that he told Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in a phone call Wednesday that “the United States will stand by Ukraine as it defends its democracy and support its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of unprovoked Russian aggression.” “The bravery, resilience, and determination of the Ukrainian people continues to inspire the world,” Biden said.

- with AFP