Russia seeks to put stranglehold on twin Ukrainian cities

25/5/2022 12:01

        Russian forces sought to encircle Ukrainian troops in twin eastern cities straddling a river as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned Moscow was seeking to destroy the industrial Donbas region where it has focused its attacks.
        
        Russia is attempting to seize the separatist-claimed Donbas' two provinces, Donetsk and Luhansk, and trap Ukrainian forces in a pocket on the main eastern front.
        
        Russian forces took control of three towns in the Donetsk region including Svitlodarsk, regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko told a local affiliate of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
        
        "The situation in Donbas is extremely difficult. All the remaining strength of the Russian army is now concentrated on this region," Zelenskiy said in a late-night address on Tuesday. "The occupiers want to destroy everything there."