WWNC – The U.K. Ministry of Defence describes Russia’s loss in the crucial Ukrainian city of Lyman as a “major political setback.” Lyman, which is in the Donetsk area and was being utilized as a transportation and logistics hub, was lost by Russia, dealing Russian President Vladimir Putin a new setback as he escalated the conflict by annexing four districts of Ukraine.
Russian official news agency RIA quoted the Defense Ministry of Russia as saying that it has “retreated to more favourable lines.” The British defense ministry stated that Lyman was “likely being guarded by undermanned units of Russia’s Western and Central Military Districts, as well as contingents of voluntarily mobilized reservists,” in a daily intelligence briefing on Sunday.
The report said, “The unit presumably suffered serious losses as it withdrew via the sole road out of the town still under Russian control.”
The Siversky Donets River is crossed by the city’s “major road crossing, over which Russia has been trying to consolidate its defenses,” according to the study.
Given that Lyman is situated within Donetsk Oblast, an area Russia allegedly intended to “liberate” and has made attempts to forcibly annex, it was noted that Russia’s pullout from Lyman “also constitutes a serious political defeat.”
According to U.K. authorities, Moscow’s departure from Lyman has led to increased criticism of the country’s military leadership from some Russian officials.
It was also said in the briefing that “further losses of territory in illegally occupied territories will almost probably lead to an amplification of this public condemnation and raise the pressure on senior commanders.”
In a counteroffensive that got under way in September, Ukrainian forces have reclaimed vast areas of land. As losses grew, Putin issued an order for a limited military mobilization and annexed four parts of Ukraine, including Donetsk.
On Saturday, videos showing Ukrainian forces raising their flag outside of Lyman, which has been under Russian occupation since May, went viral on social media.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, declared in his nightly speech, “The Ukrainian flag is already in Lyman.” “More Ukrainian flags have appeared in the Donbas during the past week. There will be more next week.”
That comes a day after Putin announced the annexation of four Ukrainian regions after conducting what Russia referred to as referendums in Ukraine’s occupied regions, which have drawn strong criticism from around the world.
President Joe Biden stated in a statement on Friday that “Russia is breaching international law, stomping on the United Nations Charter, and exhibiting its contempt for peaceful nations everywhere.”
“There is no justification for these actions, make no mistake. The internationally recognized borders of Ukraine will always be respected by the United States.”
