Russia destroys bridge over Ukrainian river, cutting escape route

Russian forces destroyed a bridge connecting the troubled Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk with another city across the river. This cut off a possible evacuation route, local officials stated on Sunday (12 June).

The epicentre of the fight for control over Ukraine’s eastern region of Donbas has been Sievierodonetsk. The Kremlin invaded the city on February 24th, and parts of the city were pulverized in the most bloody fighting.

Serhiy Gaidai, governor of Luhansk, stated that the Ukrainian and Russian forces were still fighting there street-by-street on Sunday.

While Russian forces have seized most of the city, Ukrainian troops are still in control of an area of industrial land and a chemical plant where hundreds of civilians shelter.

Gaidai stated that the Russians had destroyed the bridge crossing the Siverskyi Donets River connecting Sievierodonetsk to its twin city Lysychansk.

This means that only one of the three bridges is still standing and it reduces the number routes that could be used for evacuations of civilians or to allow troops from Ukraine to withdraw to the west side of the river.

Gaidai stated that in Lysychansk, Russian shelling had killed one woman, destroyed four houses, and damaged a shopping center.

According to the Sievierodonetsk head, about a third of the city was still under control of Ukrainian forces while the remaining two-thirds were under Russian control.

Oleksandr Stryuk stated that "our (forces) are holding down the defensive line strongly."

Moscow was forced to reduce its initial campaign goals after its 24 February invasion of Ukraine. Now, it is focusing its attention on expanding its control in Donbas. Since 2014, pro-Russian separatists hold a large portion of the Donbas.

Sievierodonetsk, the last city of Donbas's Luhansk region still controlled by Ukraine, would be a significant strategic loss. Victory for Russia would bring them closer to the goals of Russian President Vladimir Putin in his "special military operation".

Russian cruise missiles also destroyed a large storage area containing US weapons and European weapons in the Ternopil region of western Ukraine, Russia's Interfax agency reported.

Ternopil's governor stated that rockets from the Black Sea had partially destroyed a military facility in Chortkiv and left 22 people injured. Local officials said that there weren't weapons there.

Reuters was unable to confirm the different accounts independently.

Moscow has repeatedly criticized the United States and other countries for providing weapons to Ukraine. Putin stated earlier this month, that Russia would strike new targets in the event that the West supplies longer-range missiles for Ukraine to use in its high-precision mobile rocket system.

In recent days, Ukrainian leaders appealed to Western countries to accelerate heavy weapon deliveries as Russian artillery pounds the eastern part of the country.

According to the general staff of Ukraine, Russian forces were operating mortars and artillery in the vicinity of a number settlements. It said that Ukrainian forces had repelled Russian attempts to advance towards certain communities.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the battlefield reports.

Although the Ukrainian forces have been more resilient than expected, the Institute for the Study of War, a U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War, stated that they will need constant Western support as they exhaust their Soviet-era weapons.

Putin claims Russia's actions are designed to "denazify" Ukraine and disarm it. It is a war of aggression unprovoked to seize territory, Kyiv and its allies claim.

On Sunday, the leader in the Russian-backed separatist Donetsk area in the Donbas stated that there was no reason not to pardon the two British nationals who were executed last week for their actions while fighting for Ukraine.

On Thursday, a court in Donetsk People's Republic found Aiden Aslin (and Shaun Pinner) guilty of "mercenary actions" to overthrow their republic.

Britain claims that Aslin, Pinner and other regular soldiers were exempted under the Geneva Conventions. They should not be prosecuted for their participation in hostilities. Separatists claim they committed grave offenses and have one month to appeal.

Russian news agencies quoted Denis Pushilin as saying, "I don’t see any grounds or prerequisites for me to make such a decision on pardon."

Aslin's family stated that Pinner and he "are not, nor were they, mercenaries"

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