Ukrainian forces have repelled four attempted attacks on the Severodonetsk area in the east of the country, officials have claimed.
According Serhii Haidai, head of Luhansk region’s military administration, said Russian forces attempted to enter the area from four seperate directions in order to overrun Ukrianian troops.
The official wrote on his Telegram: “The Russians tried to enter Sievierodonetsk from four directions at once, but they were repelled and retreated to their earlier positions.
“However, they continued to shell residential neighbourhoods with mortars and artillery.
“Almost every Ukrainian-controlled town and village sustained damage.”
Russian forces reportedly deployed an armoured fighting vehicle known as the Terminator tank to advance on Severodontesk in eastern Ukraine.
The MoD has warned Russia’s BMP-T Terminator tank is likely to have been sent to the Severodonetsk region as part of the Donbas offensive in order to secure one the Kremlin’s “immediate tactical priorities”.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 22 May 2022
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) May 22, 2022
Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/GGC8C7MQ1u
🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/Ntuj5gasql
The city forms part of the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in Luhansk, which along with the neighbouring region of Donetsk comprises the Donbas war zone.
However, he added Russian troops had damaged a bridge which helped humanitarian goods get delivered to the region and that civilians have been evacuated.
Mr Haidai also said Russia has been “deliberately destroying a multidisciplinary hospital".
He wrote: “The seven-story building has in fact already become a four-story building.
"There are three doctors working there who say they will stay until the last.”
Severodonetsk is a front-line city at growing risk of being encircled.
At least 12 people were killed and another 40 wounded by Russian shelling in the city, the regional governor said on Saturday.
Mr Zelensky said the bombardment was "brutal and absolutely pointless", as residents cowering in basements described an unending ordeal of terror.
