The Russians failed to capture Lyman in Donetsk and Sievierodonetsk and Popasna in Luhansk. “It does not succeed – the fighting continues,” said the mission of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Russians were bombing the area “but they can not pass our defense,” said Serhiy Gaidai, the governor of Luhansk. Two schools and 20 houses were leveled during the attack, he added.
Moscow military sources say 389 Ukrainian targets were hit overnight by Russian artillery.
The troubled Donbass region of Ukraine has long been home to separatists and large Russian-speaking populations. Russia has launched hostilities in Ukraine after recognizing two breakaway democracies in the region.
An aerial view shows a crater and a ruined house in the village of Yatskivka, in eastern Ukraine. Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP via Getty Images
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said peace talks with Ukraine were ongoing and that lifting Western sanctions on Russia was part of the discussion. It has also accused the West of undermining its own peace efforts by continuing to send advanced military equipment to Ukraine.
“Progress has not been easy,” he told Chinese state television, blaming “the war rhetoric and arson of Western supporters of the Kiev regime.”
A ruined house is depicted in the village of Yatskivka, in eastern Ukraine. Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIT / AFP via Getty Images
Lavrov said his country had evacuated more than 1 million people from Ukraine since the start of the war, although he did not provide evidence to support his claim.
President Biden has offered a $ 33 billion aid package to Ukraine, including $ 20 billion in weapons. The idea has received widespread bipartisan support in Congress. Parliament Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged her colleague to approve the legislation as soon as possible on Friday.
With postal cables
