Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics
[ColonelCassad] Reportage of the French edition from the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Severodonetsk.
The city is already lost
Exclusive from the French edition:
THE UKRAINIAN ARMY IS IN DECLINE NEAR SEVERODONETSK
Soldiers of the 20th Infantry Battalion of the 3rd Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stationed on the heights of Lysychansk, are resting after returning from the front. Below you can see the Seversky Donets River, a strategic watercourse that is difficult to cross and serves as a natural barrier. Further columns of smoke rise over Severodonetsk.
Ukrainian soldiers describe it as hell on earth: “The Russians are bombing and firing mortars 24 hours a day, without a break. When you engage your men, after two minutes of fighting you already have many wounded that you must evacuate. New ones arrive and in a few minutes they are no longer alive.
UNEQUAL FORCEs
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are fighting outside the city, which is under the control of the Russian army. Ukrainian military personnel are retreating due to the imbalance of power between the two sides. Sergeant Roman Ilchenko, 32, explains that “the Russians have artillery, armored vehicles, and their forces are five to six times larger.” Faced with this firepower, Ukrainians bitterly note the weakness of their forces.
Volodymyr Kharchuk, 33, a Ukrainian soldier of the 20th Battalion, talks about his last mission, in which he was responsible for covering the retreat of the Airborne Forces: “We only had AK-47 assault rifles, a 1986 RPG, a 1943 Degtyarev machine gun and a 1933 Maxim machine gun of the year. We also have a Swedish NLAW man-portable anti-tank missile, but the battery failed. That's all we had." He points out that none of his men received night vision goggles, or even binoculars. “We had to bring home models that are usually used for hunting,” Kharchuk points out.
The mission he describes ended badly. After the withdrawal of the paratroopers, the soldiers of the 3rd brigade moved to the bridge over the river, but it was destroyed. Therefore, the soldiers say that they had to cross on foot, struggling with a strong current. “Our equipment is heavy. So we used our ropes to be able to cross. All this under mortar fire. Our evacuation was successful. But knowing that we were on the other side of the river, the command accused us of being deserters. We were threatened with jail. But it was they who ordered us to leave the city,” V. Kharchuk explained, adding that his superiors then denied that they had ordered them to leave Severodonetsk.
ILLOGICAL ORDERS
Vushnik Roman Ilchenko clarifies that they have a new task. Protect the last bridge connecting Severodonetsk and Lysychansk. An order that has no logic for him.
“Officially, to prevent the Russians from getting through. Except that the bridge has already been destroyed. There is no point in protecting him. The Russians may try to cross the river elsewhere where it is shallow. My people are ready for battle, but we need equipment and artillery. Our soldiers are not demoralized, they want to fight. But we no longer believe in our superiors,” Ilchenko said bitterly.
THE RUSSIANS WILL CRUSH US
Faced with such means deployed by Russian troops, people are unanimous: Severodonetsk is already lost, and we must respond. Andriy Shevchenko, a 39-year-old Ukrainian soldier, believes that if the UAF does not strengthen its artillery, it will not be able to do anything: “You cannot fight only with AK-47s. The Russians will crush us. We are being fired upon from the air, from mortars, we cannot respond with simple Kalashnikov assault rifles or short-range grenade launchers.”
So will the Ukrainian army lose the battle of Severodonetsk? “The city is already lost,” Shevchenko replied grimly. According to him, if nothing changes, the entire Donbas will sooner or later become Russian.
https://t.me/china3army/11138 - zinc
According to Pasechnik, the LPR already controls a third of Severodonetsk.
Kadyrov announces the release of the entire residential area of Severodonetsk.
Gauleiter of Severodonetsk declares that the RF Armed Forces have already taken half of the city.
In general, the day of the re-liberation of Severodonetsk is near.
Kadyrov says Severodonetsk is liberated
Kadyrov announced the completion of the total cleansing of Severodonetsk
[REGNUM] The total cleansing of the city of Severodonetsk (LPR) was completed on May 31 by Russian units, the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov wrote in his telegram channel.
"Warriors from the Chechen Republic, together with the People's Militia of the LPR and other Russian power units, completed the total cleansing of Severodonetsk."
According to the head of Chechnya, the fighters have moved on to the next stage: they are now conducting a more thorough random check of individual city facilities.
He also noted that the building of the main department of the SBU, which in Severodonetsk was a stronghold of the Ukronazi troops, and the territory adjacent to it "were completely cleared . "
The Ukrainian militants "hurriedly abandoned their offices and fled, but left many 'surprises' in the form of improvised explosive devices." These mines are disposed of by sappers.
“The locals are relieved and happy to meet the Russian soldiers, joking about the fact that the Germans have already been expelled, which means that everything will work out now.”
From Ukrainian news outlet Censor.net (Yuri Butusov:)
Most of Severodonetsk is controlled by Russians, almost 100% of the city's infrastructure is destroyed, - Gaidai
A total of 90 percent of the housing stock of Severodonetsk is damaged, 60 percent of them are not subject to restoration.
The head of the Luhansk regional military administration Sergey Gaidai reported about it in the Telegram , transfers Censor.NET .
- Evening summary on May 31:
- Most of Severodonetsk is controlled by Russians. The city is not surrounded, and there are no prerequisites for this.
- The regional center is approaching the level of destruction of Rubezhnoye and Popasnaya. 60 percent of them are critical, ie not recoverable.
Due to the shelling, it is impossible to bring humanitarian goods to Severodonetsk, just as it is impossible to evacuate people," Gaidai said.
More from Censor.net
As a result of night shelling of suburbs of Severodonetsk and Mountain almost all communications are destroyed, - Gaidai
Story probably filed the night of May 30th to May 31st
As a result of night shelling on the outskirts of Severodonetsk and Gorsky in Luhansk region, almost all communications were destroyed. Among other things, the Russians used phosphorous shells.
As Censor.NET reports , this was announced by the head of Luhansk OVA Sergey Gaidai in Telegram .
People sit without light, water and gas.
"We are trying to restore everything we can. But every day there are fewer and fewer repair crews in the region. "The regime of silence is almost non-existent, and when there is, regular communal workers are going to the facilities," he said.
As of yesterday, 95,795 consumers were left without electricity in the region, and today - 146,490. 36 settlements were disconnected - 22 completely, 14 partially.
"As a result of hostilities, there are 38 settlements without gas supply - 31 in full and 7 in part. This is 130,183 (unlike 106,070 last day) subscribers. There is no water supply in Rubezhnoye, Popasnaya, Gorskoye, Severodonetsk, partly in Lysychansk," Gaidai added.