/ 27 June 2022

Russia takes a key city

Image source: Getty
Image source: Getty

Russia has taken control of the eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk, with the last of Ukraine’s troops ordered to leave when it became impossible for them to defend their positions. It was one of the last major strongholds in the area. Russia now has its sights set on the city of Lysychansk – its fall would see all of Luhansk under Russian control. It’s a mainly Russian-speaking region that’s been a priority for President Vladimir Putin. Luhansk and the Donetsk region make up the Donbas – an industrial area occupied by Russian-backed separatists since 2014. ‘Liberating’ the Donbas was a key justification for Putin’s invasion of Ukraine when he launched the operation in February. The question lingers if he will call the war off if Russia gets control of the Donbas or if he will use it as a base to go harder. The latter option is what Russia went for overnight as the G7 leaders’ summit kicked off in Germany. The invaders have targetted cities across Ukraine, with the capital Kyiv copping the worst of it.

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