Ukraine war: Ukraine and Russia both claim control over Lysychansk

Ukraine’s eastern city of Lysychansk is at the center of competing claims, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces saying they are in control.

Ukraine says its forces are enduring intense Russian shelling there but insists the city has not been seized.

However, Russian-backed separatists say they have successfully entered the city and reached its center.

Russian media showed videos of separatists or Russian forces apparently parading through the streets.

Russian sources have also tweeted video of the Soviet flag allegedly being placed on the city’s ruined administrative center, but that has not been verified.

It is the last Ukrainian-held city in Luhansk, part of the industrial Donbas region. Russia captured the nearby city of Severodonetsk last month.

The governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Haida, said there had been no let-up in the assault on Lysychansk, with Russian forces approaching the besieged city from all sides.

Rodion Miroshnik, ambassador to Russia of the pro-Moscow breakaway Luhansk People’s Republic, told Russian television that Lysychansk had been “brought under control” but was “not yet liberated”.

Images of Chechen Russian soldiers inside the city were shared by defense blogger Rob Lee.