The Battle For Eastern Ukraine Intensifies. Ukraine President Zelensky Visits Kharkiv

 

Daily Mail: Russians storm key city in eastern Ukraine as battle for Donbas rages: Troops engage in close quarter combat amid intense shelling as Putin tries to gain strategic footholds in region amid fierce resistance 

* Russian and Ukrainian troops are locked in intense close-quarter combat 

* The epicentre of the fighting is Severodonetsk - a manufacturing hub in Luhansk 

* Putin's forces have been making agonisingly slow but steady gains in the region 

* Water and electricity in several of the region's towns have been shut off 

* Bodies are being left in supermarkets in Mariupol according to mayor's adviser 

* Ukrainian officials repeated calls for more long-range arms from Western allies 

* French, German leaders implored Putin to hold 'direct and serious negotiations' 

Russian and Ukrainian troops are locked in intense close-quarter combat today in the eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk as Moscow's soldiers, supported by intense shelling, attempted to gain strategic footholds in the region while facing fierce Ukrainian resistance. 

Ukrainian regional officials reported that Russian forces were 'storming' the eastern city in the Luhansk region, where the fighting has knocked out power and mobile phone services and terrorised civilians who have not fled. 

Severodonetsk, a manufacturing hub, has emerged as an epicentre of Russia's quest to conquer Ukraine's industrial Donbas region.  

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The Battle For Eastern Ukraine Intensifies  

Ukraine, Russia battle in the east as Zelenskyy visits front -- AP 

Ukrainian defenders hold out in Donbas city under heavy fire -- Reuters  

Russia Tightens Grip As "Street-By-Street" Fighting Rages In Donbas Region -- AFP  

Sievierodonetsk bombing so intense, casualties cannot be assessed, officials say -- The Guardian  

Russian troops storm Sievierodonetsk as Donbas suffers heavy bombardment -- Euronews  

Ukraine war: President Zelensky visits Kharkiv in first trip outside Kyiv region -- BBC  

Ukrainian President visits front line in first official appearance outside Kyiv since Russia invaded -- ABC News Australia  

Zelensky: Conditions in Donbas ‘indescribably difficult’ -- The Hill  

Zelensky Signals Donbas Could Soon Fall: "Indescribably Difficult" Russian Onslaught -- Zero Hedge  

Russians Close To Encircling Key Town, Zelenskiy Urges Talks With Putin -- RFE 

Ukraine Says ‘Everything’ Being Done to Defend Donbas From Russian Onslaught -- Moscow Times  

Russia takes small cities, aims to widen east Ukraine battle -- AP

Lysychansk holdouts await end to Russia's Donbas attacks -- DW  

Ukraine war: Russia says 'liberation' of Donbas its key priority -- BBC