The spokesman of Ukraine’s Group of Forces East, Serhii Cherevatyi, confirmed the report by the Luhansk Oblast Military Administration Head, Serhii Haidai, that about 5.500 Russian troops were enveloped at the strategically important city of Lyman, Donetsk Oblast. However, it is currently unknown how many of them were eliminated and how many managed to break through from the area.
Mr. Cherevatyi said it during the national telethon adding that the Ukrainian forces had liberated five settlements near Lyman:
“The Russian grouping in the Lyman area is surrounded. The settlements of Yampil, Novoselivka, Shandryholove, Drobysheve, Stavky have been liberated, stabilization measures are going on there,” he said.
Meanwhile, local chats have a number of unconfirmed and necessarily true accounts of the situation in and around Lyman, here a just a few of them:
- “Friends called me from Zelenyi Klyn (a railway station in northwestern Lyman, – Ed.) – they already have Ukraine there. [Ukrainian security forces] have already walked home to home checking documents. The Vodafone [mobile provider’s] communication emerged. It was quiet at night, finally, they could sleep”
- “[Ukrainian troops] are in Lyman, they’ve already visited my loved ones, the northern part. Lyman’s Ukraine”
- “Called to [Lyman’s] northern part, the area of Pryozerna: it’s calm in the city, the Russians are leaving via Zarichne, our guys gave them time to go out…”
- “Called to Zarichne, Ukrainian soldiers are in the center of the village, they haven’t walked along the streets yet”
- “[Ukrainian troops] are in Torske”
It is unknown if the Russian troops coordinated their retreat from Lyman with Ukrainian forces – such coordination would be questionable. However, what the reports have in common is claiming that the Ukrainian troops are already in control of at least the northern outskirts of Lyman.
Updates:
The video shows Ukrainian troops entering the village of Stavky on 30 September, and standing at the city sign of Lyman on 1 October:
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1576151909525774338
Read also:
Ukrainian military liberates Drobysheve near Lyman, Donetsk Oblast – media
