'We prepare for worst', says governor of Ukraine frontline region

In Lysychansk, there are signs of preparations for street fighting: soldiers digging in, putting up barbed wire and police placing burnt-out vehicles sideways across roads to slow traffic

The governor of the eastern Ukrainian region now seeing heavy fighting with Russia, Sergiy Gaiday, opened the pockets of his flack jacket Saturday to show gun cartridges and a tourniquet.

Appointed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, the 46-year-old heads the Lugansk region, including the city of Severodonetsk, where Russians are fighting street battles, and Lysychansk, where bangs of artillery are near-constant. 

In Lysychansk, there are signs of preparations for street fighting: soldiers digging in, putting up barbed wire and police placing burnt-out vehicles sideways across roads to slow traffic.

Gaiday has warned of the danger that Russian troops will encircle Lysychansk by cutting off supply roads. 

"It could turn out that they cut off the region and we really do end up encircled. Maybe there will be fighting even in Lysychansk -- this is war."

"Look how long Severodonetsk has held out: you can see they (the Russians) don't control the town fully... they can't go further in and they can't put their big guns or tanks there," the governor said.

"The fact that the West is helping us is good, but it's (too) late."

The governor could still theoretically visit his home town of Severodonetsk accompanied by military, he said, "but it's very highly risky".

His flak jacket was stuffed with cartridge cases and he said he has a semi-automatic rifle in his car "and if I need to, I will fight".

Of his current role as a wartime administrator, Gaiday said: "It's hard, but I don't let my emotions out."

"It's all painful, I'm a human being but I bury this deep inside me," he said, adding that his task is to "help people as much as possible".

Conditions are grim for civilians left in Lysychansk, who have no mobile phone connection, running water or power. They cook on campfires and shelter in cellars.

"We try to talk to people and persuade them to leave. Some point-blank refuse."

Gaiday has a prominent presence on social media including Telegram and Facebook, giving regular updates on the war.

He said he also wanted people in the conflict zone to "understand that I haven't abandoned them, that I'm on the spot and with them."

am/har

...