08.06.2022, Ukraine, Sjewjerodonezk: Ein ukrainischer Soldat blickt während schwerer Kämpfe an der Frontlinie in Sjewjerodonezk in der Region Luhansk durch ein Fernglas. Foto: Oleksandr Ratushniak/AP/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++

The Ukrainian military has confirmed the withdrawal from the last contested city of Sievjerodonetsk in the east of the country. “After the retreat of units of our troops, the enemy got stuck in Sieverodonetsk,” the General Staff announced in Kyiv on Saturday evening. This is also the case in two suburbs and in Syrotyne, a village west of Metjolkine.

The Russian Ministry of Defense in Moscow confirmed this information. Pro-Russian fighters from the “People’s Republic” of Luhansk, with the support of Russian troops, “completely liberated” the city, spokesman Igor Konashenkov said, according to the Tass state agency.

According to Ukrainian media, the mayor of Sieverodonetsk on the east bank of Siverskyi Donets said that Russian troops had occupied the city. However, the General Staff did not provide any information as to whether all troops had left the city.