To move through a few blocks in Lysychansk, Ukrainian soldiers stepped on the accelerator to make the SUV drive at breakneck speed.
`Just seeing us, Russian artillery will open fire,` Colonel Yuriy Vashchuk explained why he had to move quickly on the streets.
He is stationed in Lysychansk, a city located across the Donets River from Severodonetsk, a site that has witnessed fierce fighting for weeks in eastern Ukraine.
An unexploded rocket on a street in Lysychansk, Lugansk province, eastern Ukraine.
In the hills overlooking Severodonetsk, dozens of fires raged, testament to weeks of fierce fighting.
The two `twin` cities on both sides of the Donets River have become `fire navels` during weeks of intense fighting in the eastern battlefield, where Russian forces are taking full advantage of their artillery superiority to
Ukrainian officials believe that Russia’s goal is very clear: control the two cities at all costs, even if it means razing them to the ground, so that they can continue to advance westward.
However, Ukraine’s defense strategy is unclear, even falling into a dilemma between choosing to defend or withdraw from Severodonetsk.
President Zelensky recently did not rule out the option of withdrawing troops from Severodonetsk.
`In many ways, the fate of Donbass is decided here,` he said.
Military situation in Ukraine after more than 100 days.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on June 9 issued an urgent call for more arms support from the West.
He warned that about 100 Ukrainian soldiers were killed every day in the fighting in the east, while the adviser to the President of Ukraine said that the country’s military casualties were about 100-200 people.
Ukraine’s army and government do not hide the challenges they face in the east after more than three months of military conflict with Russia.
Fighting in Severodonetsk has turned into a bloody struggle for every house and street corner between Russian and Ukrainian forces, although Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to President Zelensky, said that Russia may have withdrawn part of its troops to prepare for the attack.
Surrounded on three sides, the only supply route for Ukrainian forces in Severodonetsk is a bridge across the Donets River.
On the west bank of the Donets River is the city of Lysychansk, which has higher terrain and is considered a more beneficial defensive position for Ukrainian forces.
Russian forces surrounded the Ukrainian army in Severodonetsk from three sides.
A few kilometers to the west, another battle was taking place with equal ferocity, as Russian forces sought to cut off supply routes and surround two cities.
A maze of rural roads is now the only access for Ukrainian forces.
`Russian forces are trying to create a pincer to encircle all the soldiers inside and destroy them,` said Mariana Bezugla, vice chair of the Intelligence, Defense and Security Committee in the Ukrainian House of Representatives.
Ms. Bezugla said several thousand Ukrainian soldiers have been deployed in areas at risk of being surrounded by Russia.
The number of weapons that the West pledged to provide to Ukraine is increasing, but cannot be quickly delivered to the battlefield.
But it is unclear how much of it has reached Ukrainian soldiers in the field and whether it is enough.
`I can’t say I’m satisfied with the speed and quantity of weapons being donated. Absolutely not,` Defense Minister Reznikov said.
An M77 howitzer provided by the US was destroyed on the outskirts of Lysychansk, Lugansk province on June 8.
Ms. Bezugla also expressed gratitude to countries supporting Ukraine.
In addition to the wheat fields, a sign that Ukraine really needs additional aid are the remnants of previously delivered Western weapons.
Hannah