Ukraine's Severodonetsk cut off by Russian forces, all bridges destroyed: audio report

All bridges to the embattled Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk have now been destroyed, the local governor says.

Smoke rises from the Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk amid fierce fighting in the country's eastern Donbas region, June 8, 2022.

Photo: Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency/ABACAPRESS.COM via PAP

With the city effectively cut off by Russian forces, Serhiy Haidai says delivering supplies and evacuating civilians are now impossible.

Fierce fighting is taking place in the eastern city where Ukrainian officials said Russian artillery had driven its forces out of the centre.

For weeks capturing Severodonetsk has been a top military goal for Russia.

Taking Severodonetsk and the nearby city of Lysychansk would give Moscow control of the entire Luhansk region, much of which is already controlled by Russian-backed separatists.

Halyna Pastushuk has this report.

Click on the audio player above to listen.