Ukraine says doing 'everything' to defend Donbas from Russia

KRAMATORSK: Ukraine said it is doing “everything” to defend the eastern Donbas region, where Russia confirmed Saturday it had captured a strategic town in its intensifying offensive.

Russia is waging all-out war for the Donetsk and Lugansk regions that make up Donbas — Ukraine’s industrial heartland where President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of carrying out a “genocide”.

Zelensky said late Friday the Russians had “concentrated maximum artillery, maximum reserves in Donbas”.

“There are missile strikes and aircraft attacks — everything,” he said.

“We are protecting our land in the way that our current defence resources allow,” he added.

“We are doing everything to increase them.”

Moscow’s army said Saturday it had seized control of Lyman town, on the road to the two key cities of Severodonetsk and Kramatorsk still under Kyiv’s control, confirming an announcement a day earlier by pro-Moscow separatists.

Read more: OIC expresses concerns over life imprisonment of Yasin Malik

Russian forces are also closing in on Severodonetsk and Lysychansk in Lugansk province, with conflicting reports about the extent of their advance.

Regional governor Sergiy Gaiday insisted Ukrainian forces would be able to resist for at least another two or three days — but said troops may have to withdraw from some areas to avoid being surrounded.

“Most probably they (Russian troops) will not seize (Lugansk), because there’s enough strength and means to hold the defence,” he said on Telegram.

“Maybe even to avoid encircling there might be a command to our troops to retreat.”