The Russian invaders are now trying to encircle Lysychansk and Severodonetsk, setting up a "second Mariupol" there.

Advisor stated this to the Head of the Office of President Alexey Arestovich in a conversation with Russian human rights activist Mark Feygin.

“Here they are trying to break through here, from Vrubovka and cut off the road in the Berestovoye area, this is one of the main goals to interrupt the supply between Bakhmut and Lysychansk. If you look at Seversk, then here it is, a small boiler along the railway, which they are trying to close - from Seversk to Berestovoye. It turns out a small cauldron, which Yampol, Seversk, Popasnaya, Vrubovka… They close and Lysychansk and Severodonetsk remain surrounded. This is the main task that they are now solving. The task is to make a "new Mariupol," the adviser said, head of the OP.

He noted that now there is a tough situation for the Ukrainian troops.

"Continuous strikes by artillery and aviation, almost continuous attacks by enemy ground forces. Superiority in artillery and aviation from the enemy. And there, to put it mildly, we barely rake out. But Lysychansk and Severodonetsk themselves, the situation is manageable there," Arestovich said.