Battle for Severodonetsk rages as Ukraine seeks more Western weapons

Heavy fighting continues around Ukraine’s strategic city of Severodonetsk in Donbas, as Russian forces push to bring the eastern region completely under their control.

In an address on Saturday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said battle for the city was “probably one of the most difficult throughout this war.”

The battle for Severodonetsk may decide the outcome for eastern Ukraine, he said. “Very fierce fighting continues in Donbas. Russia wants to destroy every city in Donbas.”

Zelensky said Ukrainian forces are doing their best to stop Russia’s offensive. He once again called on the West for more weapons.

“The Ukrainian troops are doing everything to stop the offensive of the occupiers. As much as possible. As much as the heavy weapons, modern artillery — all that we have asked and continue to ask our partners for — allow them to.”

Zelensky: 'Brutal' battle for Sievierodonetsk to determine fate of Donbas

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the battle for Sievierodonetsk is brutal and will determine the fate of Donbas.

Severodonetsk, the administrative center of Ukraine’s Luhansk region, and nearby Lysychansk have recently been the focus of the Russian military operation in Ukraine. Moscow is pushing for complete control of Donbas, where pro-Russia forces held parts of Luhansk and Donetsk provinces even before the Russian operation began in late February. 

Ukrainian Deputy Head of Military Intelligence Vadym Skibitsky has said Ukraine is now losing against Russia in the frontlines. The country is now reliant solely on weapons from the West to repel Russian troops, he said. “This is an artillery war now. The frontlines were now where the future would be decided and we are losing in terms of artillery,” he told the Guardian.

“Everything now depends on what (the West) gives us. Ukraine has one artillery piece to 10 to 15 Russian artillery pieces. Our Western partners have given us about 10% of what they have.”

Skibitsky went on to say that Ukraine is using 5,000 to 6,000 artillery rounds a day, emphasizing the need for the West to supply Ukraine with long-range rocket systems to destroy the Russian artillery pieces from afar.

Ukraine is pleading for faster and more deliveries of weapons from the West as Russia’s offensive continues unabated.

US President Joe Biden said last week that Washington will provide Ukraine with advanced rocket systems and munitions that will enable it to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield. Also on Friday, UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace made a secret visit to Ukraine for a meeting with Zelensky to discuss sending further military support, including “lethal aid,” to the country.

UK to send 'cutting edge' rocket system to Ukraine, defying Moscow’s warnings

The UK is set to send a “cutting edge” rocket system to Ukraine despite Moscow’s warning of not fanning the flames of war.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has warned provision of longer-range missiles for Ukraine would see Russia strike harder.

Russia launched the February offensive following Kiev’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements and Moscow’s recognition of the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. At the time, Putin said one of the goals of what he called a “special military operation” was to “de-Nazify” Ukraine.

Western countries responded to Russia’s operation by backing Ukraine with cash and increasingly heavy weaponry, while imposing unprecedented waves of sanction against Moscow. 

Ukraine’s EU membership progress to be discussed

Separately on Saturday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she would discuss Ukraine's reconstruction and progress towards European Union membership, as she returned to Kiev for a meeting with Zelensky.

"With President Zelensky I will take stock of the joint work needed for reconstruction and of the progress made by Ukraine on its European path,” she said in a post on Twitter.

European Union leaders have already dashed Kiev’s demand for an accelerated membership of the bloc over the conflict, with leaders declining to open a membership procedure at war time.

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