According to the regional governor, Russian forces currently control roughly 70% of Severodonetsk, and fierce battle continues in the eastern Ukrainian city.

Serhiy Hayday, speaking from a top-secret location inside the Luhansk Oblast, acknowledged that a victory in the city would be a big morale boost for Russia, but he downplayed the significance of the victory, saying Ukrainian troops might make a tactical retreat from the city to save lives and take up defensive positions outside to thwart further Russian advances.

“It seems to me, but I’m not a military person, that there is no sense in losing a lot of soldiers to recapture the city which has no strategic military sense,” he said.

“In a military sense, the city doesn’t matter because, for example, the neighboring city of Lysychansk has more high ground and the military will have better positions.”

“We’ve restrained the Russian army for more than three months, it must be understood, and they sent all their troops to capture the Luhansk region,” he added.

Governor Hayday described life in Luhansk as “hell” for those who remain – there is no electricity, gas, or water, and the territory is constantly bombarded, preventing humanitarian help from entering – and said he had witnessed numerous alleged war crimes.

“Our children are dying. Russians are dropping bombs on schools where people are hiding,” he said.

“Russians have destroyed all electricity and water substations. People have no water. They shot main gas pipes, they destroyed all our hospitals. Many civilians have died.”

“The firing is so intense that people have to bury their neighbors somewhere in their yards. Sometimes shelling even happens during the burials,” he added.

“Our pro-Ukrainian volunteer was shot dead directly in a wheelchair at his house. Our women are being raped and tortured. The Russian army is committing a lot of war crimes here.”