Russians advance on eastern city, Kyiv awaits US weapons

SOLEDAR, Ukraine: Russian forces edged closer on Wednesday to taking the key eastern Ukraine city of Severodonetsk but Kyiv’s hopes of holding off their invaders were boosted by a US pledge of more advanced rocket systems to help their defence.

"The Russians control 70 percent of Severodonetsk," Lugansk region governor Sergiy Gaiday announced on Telegram, adding that Ukrainian forces were withdrawing to prepared positions. "If in two or three days, the Russians take control of Severodonetsk, they will install artillery and mortars and will bombard more intensely Lysychansk," the Ukrainian-held city across the river, he said.

A key industrial hub and with Lysychansk the last pocket of resistence in the eastern Lugansk region, Severodonetsk has become a target of massive Russian firepower since the failed attempt to capture Kyiv.

Oleksander Motuzianyk, spokesman for Ukraine’s defence ministry, said there was "fighting in the streets" in Severodonetsk, and the Russians had reached the city centre. "The Ukrainian armed forces are actively resisting them," he said.

In a boost for the outgunned Ukrainian military, President Joe Biden confirmed that more US weaponry was on the way to allow them to "more precisely strike key targets" in Ukraine. The new weapon is the Himars multiple launch rocket system, or MLRS, a mobile unit that can simultaneously launch multiple precision-guided missiles.

They are the centrepiece of a $700 million package being unveiled on Wednesday that also includes air-surveillance radar, more Javelin short-range anti-tank rockets, artillery ammunition, helicopters, vehicles and spare parts, a US official said.

With a range of about 80-km, they will allow Ukrainian forces to strike further behind Russian lines. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Washington of "adding fuel to the fire", saying "such supplies" did not encourage Kyiv to resume peace talks.

Biden said that the United States would not support attacks inside Russia, writing in the New York Times: "We do not seek a war between Nato and Russia." Later, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Ukraine had promised not to use the new missiles inside Russia and warned of a long conflict ahead.