Battle rages for Ukrainian metropolis Lysychansk, Belarus says ‘downed missiles’ | World News

Preventing raged for the strategic Ukrainian metropolis Lysychansk on Saturday, as Belarusian chief Alexander Lukashenko stated his military had intercepted missiles fired on his territory by Kyiv's forces.

Ukraine denied claims by Moscow-backed separatists who stated that they had encircled Lysychansk, the final main metropolis within the Lugansk space of the japanese Donbas area nonetheless in Kyiv's fingers.

Lysychansk is positioned throughout the river from neighbouring Severodonetsk, which Russian forces seized final week.

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The town's seize would enable Russian forces to push deeper into the Donbas, which has grow to be the main focus of their offensive since failing to seize Kyiv.

"Preventing rages round Lysychansk... The town has not been encircled and is below management of the Ukrainian military," Ruslan Muzytchuk, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Nationwide Guard, stated on Ukrainian tv.

Earlier within the day, Andrei Marochko, a spokesman for the separatist forces, advised the TASS information company: "Lysychansk is totally encircled."

Lukashenko on Saturday accused Ukraine of "upsetting" neighbouring Belarus, saying his military intercepted missiles fired at his nation by Ukrainian forces "round three days in the past".

The declare got here one week after Ukraine stated missiles struck a border area from Belarus, a long-term Russian ally that supported the February 24 invasion.

However Lukashenko denied any involvement, which might characterize an escalation of the battle.

"As I stated greater than a yr in the past, we don't intend to battle in Ukraine," he was quoted as saying by state information company Belta on Saturday.

Missiles proceed to rain down throughout Ukraine, killing dozens.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cited six strikes as of the night in his each day tackle to the nation late Saturday.

"Fierce preventing continues alongside all the entrance line, in Donbas," he added, noting as properly that "enemy exercise within the Kharkiv area is intensifying".

Within the small Donetsk city of Siversk, one resident advised AFP that "the bombing goes on day and night time."

Rockets additionally struck residential properties in Sloviansk within the coronary heart of the Donbas, killing a girl in her backyard and wounding her husband, a neighbour advised AFP Saturday, describing particles showered throughout the neighbourhood.

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The witness stated the strike, which occurred on Friday, was thought to make use of cluster munitions, which unfold over a big space earlier than exploding, putting buildings and individuals who had been outside.

Zelensky warned in opposition to "a sense of leisure" in lots of rear cities.

"The battle shouldn't be over," he stated. "Sadly, its cruelty is barely growing in some locations, and it can't be forgotten."

Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov stated Ukraine was "struggling heavy losses on all fronts", itemizing what he stated had been navy targets throughout the nation hit with artillery and missiles.

In his tackle, Zelensky additionally appeared ahead to a convention on Ukraine's reconstruction set to begin Monday in Switzerland.

Leaders from dozens of nations and worldwide organisations will collect within the metropolis of Lugano with the purpose of offering a roadmap for the war-ravaged nation's restoration.

Rebuilding Ukraine "requires colossal investments -- billions, new applied sciences, finest practices, new establishments and, after all, reforms," Zelensky stated.

He stated 10 areas of Ukraine had been affected within the battle, with many cities and villages needing to be "rebuilt from scratch".

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The roadmap is predicted to put out reconstruction wants by way of broken and destroyed infrastructure, Ukraine's devastated economic system, and in addition environmental and social restoration wants.

The trouble is predicted to value lots of of billions of dollars.

Ukraine may also face calls for for broad reforms, particularly in cracking down on corruption.

The necessity for reforms had been underscored by European Fee, Ursula von der Leyen, who has stated the coveted European Union membership was "inside attain" for Ukraine, however urged Kyiv to work on anti-corruption measures.

In peacetime, Ukraine is a significant agricultural exporter, however Russia's invasion has broken farmland and seen Ukraine's ports seized, razed or blockaded -- sparking considerations about meals shortages, notably in poor international locations.

Farmer Sergiy Lioubarsky, whose fields are near the frontline, warned time was working out to reap this yr's crop.

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"We will wait till August 10 on the newest, however after that, the grains are going to dry out and fall to the bottom," he stated.

Western powers have accused Putin of utilizing the trapped harvest as a weapon to extend stress on the worldwide group, and Russia has been accused of stealing grain.