The success of the Russian occupiers in the Lugansk region has every chance of developing from tactical to operational.

This opinion was expressed by the adviser to the head of the OPU Aleksey Arestovich.

According to him, the Ukrainian command withdrew all the soldiers from the emerging encirclement in Gorsky and Zolote (south of Lysychansk) even before the ring closed there.

Arestovich noted that the enemy is actively advancing toward the Bakhmut-Lysychansk highway, intending to close the Ukrainian troops into a cauldron in the Luhansk region. The adviser to the head of the OPU did not confirm the withdrawal of the Ukrainian forces from Severodonetsk.

Arestovich added that the section from Belaya Gora (southeast of Lysychansk) to the Bakhmut direction now poses the greatest danger.

"There they really broke through and are moving forward on a broad front," he said.

Recall that the Ukrainian military will have to leave Severodonetsk. The city's infrastructure is completely destroyed, 90% of the houses are damaged or destroyed. The head of the Lugansk OVA, Sergei Gaidai, confirmed that the decision to withdraw troops had already been made.

At the forefront in Severodonetsk are now both the fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard.