SLOVIANSK , July 4 — President Vladimir Putin today ordered Russian troops to press their offensive deeper into the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine after Moscow's forces seized the strategic city of Lysychansk.
After giving up on its initial war aim of capturing Kyiv following tough Ukrainian resistance, Russia has focused its efforts on securing control of the Donetsk and Lugansk areas which make up the Donbas region. "Military units, including the East group and the West group, must carry out their tasks according to previously approved plans," Putin said.The Ukrainian army said yesterday it was retreating from Lysychansk to preserve the lives of its troops after finding itself outnumbered and outgunned by Russian forces there.
"We keep defending a small part of the Lugansk region so that our army could build protective redoubts," he added. Vendors and residents who spoke to AFP, some still in shock, expressed concern for the days and weeks to come, as sounds of shelling were heard again.The city of Siversk, 30 kilometres west of Lysychansk, also saw overnight shelling, residents and an official told AFP.
At the gathering Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal put the cost of rebuilding Ukraine at US$750 billion and said:"the key source of recovery should be the confiscated assets of Russia and Russian oligarchs".
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