Head of the Luhansk Oblast Military Administration: Main road between Lysychansk and Bakhmut now impassable

OLENA ROSHCHINA – THURSDAY, 23 JUNE 2022, 09:00

Serhii Haidai, head of the Luhansk Oblast Military Administration, has said that it is impossible to travel along the main road between Lysychansk and Bakhmut due to constant shelling. However, he added that it is possible to reach Lysychansk via other routes.

Source: Serhii Haidai on air during the national 24/7 joint newscast and on Telegram

Quote: "The main road between Lysychansk and Bakhmut is impassable, it’s entirely exposed to fire. But it’s still possible to get to Lysychansk. We transport humanitarian supplies there every day and have the opportunity to evacuate civilians along a parallel route."

Details: Earlier, Haidai called the main road between Lysychansk and Bakhmut the "route of life."

The head of the Luhansk Oblast Military Administration said that Lysychansk is exposed to Russian fire and the situation is very dangerous for anyone remaining there, but the "quiet evacuation" of its residents continues.

Meanwhile, Russian forces were able to capture several villages in the vicinity of Toshkivka.

Haidai conceded that Ukrainian defence forces may have retreated from Zolote in order to avoid being encircled; their command may have given orders to retreat to other, reinforced, defence positions.

Haidai clarified that the defence line had run through Zolote since 2014, all its defence fortifications have been under fire for the last eight years and they have been under constant attacks and round-the-clock fire since 24 February of this year.

He explained that a small part of Luhansk Oblast remains an outpost of Ukrainian forces, that the Russians "have not been able to capture Sievierodonetsk for four months," and that they have deployed all their forces to Luhansk Oblast because they need a "real victory."

Earlier: Over the last few days, Russia has captured several towns and villages in Luhansk Oblast. Fighting for Sievierodonetsk continues. According to British intelligence, since 19 June, Russian forces have highly likely advanced over 5km towards the southern approaches of Lysychansk. According to the Institute for the Study of War, they might be able to capture Lysychansk in the next few days.