Ukraine confirms Russia occupied the eastern city of Lysychansk

The Ukrainian Army has confirmed that the eastern city of Lysychansk has fallen into the hands of Russian forces.

After heavy fighting for Lysychansk, Ukraine's defence forces were forced to withdraw from their occupied positions and lines”, the army General Staff said, the BBC reports.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu earlier said his forces had seized Lysychansk and had taken full control of the Luhansk region.

Ukrainian troops were shot there.

Its general staff said that “to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders was taken a decision to withdraw”.

He said the Russians had numerous priorities in artillery, aircraft, labour force and other forces.

President Voldymyr Zelensky pledged that Ukrainian forces will return to Lysychansk thanks to their tactics and “thanks to increased supply with modern weapons”.

Earlier, the head of Russia's Chechen Republic, Ramzan Cadyrov, published a video showing Chechen fighters in downtown Lysychansk.

Farther west, the Ukrainian-controlled town of Slovyansk came under heavy promotions, with at least six people killed.

Shortly before the war began, President Vladimir Putin recognised all of Luhansk and Donnetsk as independent from Ukraine. Russian forces began an uprising there in 2014.

A little over a week ago, Russian troops invaded Severodonnetsk, a town ravaged by Russian bombings for weeks.