Ukraine has a key highway in the Luhansk region under “fire control,” according to a local military commander, meaning it is shelling the road with artillery to the point where it cannot be crossed.
Serhiy Hayday, head of the military command of the Luhansk region, told CNN on Saturday that Russia cannot use the critical route connecting the critical towns of Svatove and Kreminna.
Hayday posted on social media late Friday that the road was “practically under Ukrainian control.”
The cities are prime targets for the Ukrainian Armed Forces trying to push east into Luhansk, which is largely under Russian control.
CNN cannot independently verify Ukraine’s claim about the highway running between the cities, but keeping the road would deny Russia access to Luhansk from the north.
In a separate post on Saturday morning, Headey said Ukraine had carried out airstrikes on Russian positions and air defense systems.
“Missile and artillery units hit enemy positions where batteries of self-propelled artillery systems and other important military targets were located,” Headey said.
Some background: Local officials said earlier this week that Ukraine’s advance in the eastern region has been slowed by weather, “thousands” of mobilized reserves and fierce Russian resistance.
Luhansk is one of four Ukrainian regions that Russian President Vladimir Putin annexed last month.
