Azot, last pocket of resistance in Ukraine’s Severodonetsk, damaged seriously
Kyiv, June 15 (EFE).- The Azot chemical plant, the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in the eastern strategic city of Severodonetsk, has suffered severe damage in the latest Russian bombing, the governor of Ukraine’s Luhansk region said on Wednesday.
In a Facebook post, Serhiy Haidai said it was “getting harder” to sustain the resistance in the Azot chemical factory, “but our troops (have) restrain(ed) the enemy from three sides at once.”
He said that Russians were drawing closer as people suffered and “houses were destroyed.”
The Russians hit the Azot plant, damaging the entry gates of the factory and destroying high-rise blocks near the facility.
The governor said the Russians opened “artillery fire, ruining houses” as it faced stiff resistance in street battles.
Several hundred civilians, including children, were sheltering from heavy Russian attacks in the Azot chemical plant.
British intelligence has also confirmed Ukraine’s claims that several hundred civilians were sheltering in underground bunkers in the plant.
Russian forces now control the majority of the Ukrainian city, Britain’s Ministry of Defence said in its latest report.
“Russian forces will likely be fixed in and around Azot whilst Ukrainian fighters can survive underground. This will likely temporarily prevent Russia from re-tasking these units for missions elsewhere,” the British ministry said.
On Tuesday, Russia offered evacuation of the civilians through a humanitarian corridor.
Col Gen Mikhail Mizintsev promised they would let the civilians out if Ukrainian fighters “lay down arms.”
Meanwhile, Ukrainian armed forces Wednesday claimed that its soldiers stalled the Russian offensive in Mykolaivka after inflicting losses on the Russians and forcing them to retreat. EFE
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