Battle of Popasna | |||||||
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Part of the eastern Ukraine offensive and the war in Donbas and the battle of Donbas (2022) | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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The battle of Popasna was a military engagement between Russian and the LPR and Ukrainian forces in the city of Popasna in the Luhansk Oblast. It began on 18 March and ended on 7 May 2022. It was part of the battle of Donbas (2022).
Background
A city of over 22,000 people, Popasna was an important regional hub with numerous roadway junctions key to the Russian advance.[4]
Battle
Fighting for the heavily fortified city of Popasna, Luhansk Oblast, began on 18 March 2022. Troops of the LPR and the Russian Armed Forces advanced and captured Kreminna on 18 April. They later started advancing towards Popasna and Rubizhne.
Russian and LPR troops developed the offensive by first inflicting artillery strikes and air strikes on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.[5] However, by 18 April, according to the Institute for the Study of War, the Russian military was not making much progress.[6]
On 21 April, Ukraine claimed to have killed what appeared to be 25 Russian mercenaries the previous day in and around Popasna.[7]
On 22 April, the chairman of the Luhansk Regional Administration, Serhiy Haidai, declared that the Russian army had failed in Popasna and Rushzhne. At the same time, Haidai said that Russian and LPR troops controlled 80 percent of the territory of Luhansk.[8]However, on 7 May, the city, ravaged by fighting, was reportedly captured by Russian mercenary forces from the Russian private military company Wagner Group. Chechen Kadyrovites were suspected of having participated in the last phase of the battle. Haidai confirmed that Ukrainian troops had withdrawn.[9][10]
On 8 May, Haidai initially said in his Telegram channel that the Russians controlled only half of the city,[11] but later admitted Ukrainian forces had pulled back away from Popasna.[12] Western assessments consider Popasna to be fully under Russian control. According to the publication RIA FAN, Russian and LPR forces set up a temporary Russian civil–military administration of the city and continued to move forward.[13]
References
- ^ Reuters (8 May 2022). "Ukraine troops retreat from Popasna, Luhansk governor confirms". Reuters. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
- ^ "Battles rage in Ukraine's Luhansk as Russia targets main city". Aljazeera. 8 May 2022.
However, the Ukrainian army withdrew from Luhansk’s embattled city of Popasna, Haidai said on Sunday, adding troops “moved to stronger positions, which they had prepared ahead of time”
- ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, APRIL 20". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ Davis, Daniel (10 May 2022). "Russia's Progress in Donbas Means Ukraine Likely Won't Win the War". 19FortyFive. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
- ^ "Артиллерия ЛНР открыла ответный огонь по позициям ВСУ в Попасной". Известия (in Russian). Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "Россияне контролируют около половины Попасной: идут бои - ГЛАВА АДМИНИСТРАЦИИ". haqqin.az. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "Ukrainian officials: Dozens of RF mercenaries from Libya, Syria, Russia killed in Popasna attacks - KyivPost - Ukraine's Global Voice". KyivPost. 21 April 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
- ^ "80% территории Луганской области находится под контролем России, — глава Луганской ОГА". cxid.info (in Russian). Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "Сергій Гайдай / Луганська ОДА". Telegram. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "Battles rage in Ukraine's Luhansk as Russia targets main city". Aljazeera. 8 May 2022.
However, the Ukrainian army withdrew from Luhansk’s embattled city of Popasna, Haidai said on Sunday, adding troops “moved to stronger positions, which they had prepared ahead of time”
- ^ "Сергій Гайдай / Луганська ОДА". Telegram. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ Luhansk governor refutes Russia’s claims of capturing entire oblast
- ^ "МЕЖДУНАРОДНЫЙ ФАН". Telegram. Retrieved 9 May 2022.