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Ukrainian forces have besieged Lehman, the northern gateway city to the eastern Luhansk province, Archyde.com reported on the 1st, citing a Ukrainian military spokesman.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin announced on the 30th (local time) the annexation of occupied territories in Ukraine and signed the relevant treaty on the 30th (local time).
Lehman is a transportation hub located on the way to Lisichansk and Severodonetsk, the core cities of northern Luhansk Oblast. Ukraine, which recaptured Kharkiv last month, has been fighting Russia in Lehman, the gateway city, to advance into Luhansk Oblast.
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Earlier, Putin announced the annexation of four regions in Ukraine: the Eastern Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the Lugansk (Ukrainian name Luhansk) People’s Republic (LPR), the southern Zaporiza Oblast, and the Kherson Oblast.
But Serhi Cherevati, spokeswoman for the Eastern Army of Ukraine, said:
“Russian forces have between 5,000 and 5,500 men in Lehman, but the current force may be less than that due to casualties and soldiers trying to break through the siege,” he said.
“The reason Lehmann is important is that it is the next step towards the liberation of Donbas,” he added. “You have to go further to Kremina and Severodonetsk (Luhanskism).
It is interpreted that the offensive character of Russia’s announcement of the annexation of the four regions is strong.
It is also interpreted as an attempt to warn the world of its will to intensify the offensive for territorial recovery regardless of Russia’s annexation treaty.
