Kiev: The Ukrainian military said it has withdrawn from the city of Siversk in the eastern Donetsk region. Heavy fighting continued in the Siversk area, the General Staff announced on Facebook on Tuesday. But 'in order to save the lives of our soldiers and maintain the combat strength of the units,' Ukrainian troops have been withdrawn, the statement continued.

According to Ghana News Agency, before the Russian invasion began, Siversk had a population of just over 10,000. For a long time, the front line in the area was considered relatively stable, but recently the pressure from Russian attackers has intensified. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the capture of the city just under two weeks ago during a partially broadcast meeting with Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov. Kiev denied this at the time.

Siversk is considered strategically important because it is part of a line of defence protecting the last major urban area in the Donbass region controlled by Ukrainian forces. Following the fall of Siversk, Russian attackers can now advance further towards the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. Ukraine has been fending off a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022 with massive help from Western allies.