Russia shelled the town of Sloviansk leaving at least two people dead and nearly 30 injured, said the regional governor said on Monday (March 27).
“As of 13:00, there are two dead and 29 wounded in Sloviansk… administrative and office buildings, five high-rise buildings and seven private houses were damaged,” Donetsk region governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said on Facebook.
“(Russian forces) struck the city centre around 10:30 (0730 GMT) with two S-300 missiles,” he added.
The focal point of fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces is currently Bakhmut.
Commander of Ukraine’s ground forces said on Monday that Ukrainian troops were continuing to repel heavy Russia attacks on Bakhmut.
Ukraine’s military said Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi had acted during a visit to the eastern front line to solve “problematic issues that prevent effective execution of combat tasks” and taken “operational decisions aimed at strengthening our capabilities to deter and inflict damage on the enemy.”
It gave no details, and did not say when the visit took place, but Syrskyi’s comments signalled Ukraine’s intention to keep fighting in Bakhmut despite the heavy death toll there.
Moscow sees capturing the city as vital to completing the capture of the Donbas industrial region in eastern Ukraine, one of its main war goals.
Reminiscent of World War One, the battle has been fought from trenches with relentless artillery and rocket strikes across a heavily mined battlefield described as a “meat grinder” by commanders on both sides.
(With inputs from agencies)
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