NNA - The Russian Defense Minister announced that Russian forces have controlled all residential areas in Severodonetsk, a strategic city in eastern Ukraine.

“The residential areas of the city of Severodonetsk have been completely liberated,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said during a video conference today. “Soldiers are continuing their efforts to control the industrial area and villages around the city.”

He added that Russian forces are continuing to develop an advance towards Popasnaya, another city in the Lugansk Oblast.

In addition to the residential areas in the city of Severodonetsk, Shoigu said Russian forces controlled two more towns of Krasny Liman and Svyatogorsk and 15 densely populated villages on the left bank of the Donets river.

“97% of the territory of the Lugansk People’s Republic has been liberated,” he stressed, referring to the separatist entity in the Lugansk region of the Donbass region.

Meanwhile, Oleksandr Stryuk, head of the Severodonetsk military junta, announced on state television that the situation in the city was “very difficult”.

Stryuk said that Russia is sending additional reinforcements with the goal of taking complete control of Severodonetsk. “However, our troops are consolidating positions and still holding the line,” he said.

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