Russian troops cut Ukrainian retreat routes after taking control of Seversk
Russian troops say they control Seversk and roads to Slavyansk, cutting Ukrainian retreat and support as Moscow signals a new offensive in Donbass region.
An intelligence officer from Russia’s «Yug» troop grouping says Russian forces have cut off the remaining Ukrainian garrison’s escape routes from Seversk. According to him, Ukrainian units are now trying to pull back to what they see as more advantageous positions.
He explained that, because Russian troops have fire control over the main roads out of Seversk and weather conditions have deteriorated, Ukrainian forces are effectively unable to use dirt roads for retreat. His comments were cited by RIA Novosti.
It is also reported that Russian troops have brought the Seversk-Slavyansk highway under fire control. As a result, the Ukrainian grouping in Slavyansk is, in practice, unable to support its units retreating from the Seversk area. The officer stressed that any movement along this road is immediately targeted by Russian artillery and drones on this section of the front.
Earlier, on 11 December, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian army Valeriy Gerasimov reported to President Vladimir Putin that Seversk had come under the control of Russian forces. The head of state stated that taking the city under control brings a «new offensive» by Russian troops closer and moves, as he put it, towards the «expulsion» of Ukrainian forces from the territory of Donbass.