Enemy seeks to cut Luhansk region off by capturing Lysychansk - Bakhmut highway

That’s according to the head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration, Serhiy Haidai, who spoke via Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Unfortunately, the situation is getting worse. Because the enemy amassed all its forces in order to either take Sievierodonetsk or cut the Lysychansk-Bakhmut route. And it's not just in the area of ​​Popasna or Bilohorivka. They are already trying to cut the route near Bakhmut in order to make it impossible to evacuate people and thwart humanitarian deliveries," said the head of the region.

He noted that in Sievierodonetsk, the Russian army is pummeling all local infrastructure. "They are already finishing off infrastructure related to water and electricity supplies. They just want to destroy the city," Haidai said.

But he stated that there are still doctors in the Sievierodonetsk hospital, and there are also some medicine stocks.

"Still, we are delivering humanitarian goods, SES teams are still helping with water supply, there are water tanks available… We continue to deliver humanitarian goods, we continue to evacuate people," said the head of the administration.

According to him, it is still impossible to get to Bilohorivka because there are constant firefights ongoing, and, unfortunately, it’s even fiercer fighting and even powerful shelling.

"We are holding on. We are defending. We’re holding off the invasion that is now encroaching onto the rest of Luhansk region and so far they’re failing to advance. The military is holding ground, holding their defenses firmly. Everyone’s in place," Haidai said.

He added that he was confident that the region would be liberated in full. "I am confident that the Luhansk region will get rid of the locusts that are now trying to wipe out our cities and destroy all people living in our communities – our villages and cities," said the head of the regional administration.