Russian forces focus on eastern Donbas region | DW News

Heavy fighting has been reported in and around the industrial city of Severodonetsk - where the regional governor says at least 12 people have been killed in shelling. Moscow says it will continue its offensive until it achieves its goals.

00:00 Russia steps up attacks on eastern Donbas
01:53 Russian firepower in Kramatorsk
04:51 Governor of Luhansk Oblast, Serhiy Haidai
05:47 Why are some people not evacuating?

Governor of Luhansk Oblast: Chances for citizens' evacuation 'are getting less and less'

"The chances [of evacuating citizens from Severodonetsk and Lysychansk] are getting less and less because the road is under fire. … We have been able to evacuate more than 40,000 people so far. Many left on their own. Those who remain in their houses are doing so exclusively at their own will," Serhiy Volodymyrovych Haidai, the governor of Luhansk Oblast in Ukraine, told DW.

"We are evacuating people but we do not deport people. But whenever there are people who want to leave we will evacuate them. Even if there are just ten people who want to leave we will try to take them out. They are our citizens. They are Ukrainians," the governor said. On allegations that Ukrainian authorities are abandoning the last two cities under Ukrainian control in Luhansk Oblast: "If we continue to evacuate them, if doctors are still working there, if we continue supplying them with drinking water, who can say that we have abandoned them? … The people who are staying there are exposing everybody to danger: themselves and the people who keep bringing them water, medicine and food."

Haidai: "We are witnessing the Russian army completely destroying Sievierodonetsk. They are shelling the whole place and they don't care whether there are civilians or whether there is a hospital or a school. They are destroying all the buildings."

The governor said the region is in need of more weapons: "Long-range artillery is what we are lacking most. We need howitzers, artillery and self-propelled systems like the French Caesar howitzers or the M777 from America. These are needed to keep the enemy at a distance and to beat them."
On whether military tactics in the regions endanger civilians, Haidai said: "We will defend ourselves. This is our land. If a city is a fortress, we will use this fortress militarily. Unfortunately the Russians don't allow civilians to leave. What shall we do? Give up? No Ukrainian will ever give up."

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/d....eutschewelleenglish?

For more news go to: http://www.dw.com/en/
Follow DW on social media:
►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deutschewellenews/
►Twitter: https://twitter.com/dwnews
►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwnews
Für Videos in deutscher Sprache besuchen Sie: https://www.youtube.com/dwdeutsch
#Donbas #Luhansk #Evacuation