Ukrainian forces have been ordered to withdraw from the city of Severodonetsk in eastern Ukraine after weeks of fierce fighting, Reuters and DPA reported, citing authorities.

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Ukrainian officials said there was almost nothing left to defend in the largely devastated city and troops had been ordered to leave to limit more casualties and regroup.

Severodonetsk was the last significant part of the Luhansk region, which was still partially under Ukrainian control.

"Now the situation is such that it makes no sense to hold positions that have been broken.

That is why our defenders, who are there, have already received an order to withdraw to new positions, from where to conduct normal, full-scale military operations, "said yesterday the regional governor of Lugansk region Sergiy Gaidai.

According to him, about 90 percent of the buildings in Severodonetsk have been destroyed.

Ukrainian forces will have to withdraw from Severodonetsk

Of the city's population of 100,000, nearly 8,000 remain.

Kyiv said yesterday that Russian forces continue to attack the Severodonetsk industrial zone.

Hundreds of civilians are reportedly still seeking refuge at the city's Azot chemical plant. 

The withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Severodonetsk, ordered four months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, will be seen by Moscow as an important victory.

Another Russian conquest appears to be bringing the Kremlin closer to gaining full control of the Luhansk region, one of Moscow's stated military goals, and paving the way for the neighboring city of Lisichansk to become the next major focus of the battle, Reuters reported.

Russia and Ukraine gave conflicting information about the situation in Lisichansk yesterday.

Russia's defense ministry says Russian troops have blocked the city from the south and breached Ukrainian positions.

However, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Army said that Ukrainian forces had repulsed an offensive on the southern outskirts of Lisichansk, according to the DPA.

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