Battle of Sievierodonetsk (2022)
The battle of Sievierodonetsk was a military engagement in the wider battle of Donbas of the Eastern Ukraine offensive during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
| Battle of Sievierodonetsk | |||||||||
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| Part of the battle of Donbas during the Eastern Ukraine campaign | |||||||||
Smoke from the Azot chemical plant after being attacked by Russian forces in the city | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Ukraine | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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Roman Kutuzov † Sergey Surovikin Aleksandr Lapin |
Oleksandr Stryuk | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
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Russian Armed Forces
National Guard of Russia LPR People's Militia (2nd Army Corps) |
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| Strength | |||||||||
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12,500 (in Luhansk, per Ukraine) | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
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ISW claim: Heavy Ukrainian claim: 10,000–11,000 killed (2,000 LPR servicemen), 20,000+ wounded |
ISW claim: Heavy Ukrainian claim: 161+ killed, wounded or captured Russian claim: 1,220 killed (15-24 June only) 1,000 casualties, including 800 prisoners (Zolote cauldron) | ||||||||
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Ukrainian claim (13 April – 26 May): 1,100 civilians killed | |||||||||
The city of Sievierodonetsk acted as the administrative center of unoccupied Luhansk Oblast prior to the invasion. By May 2022, Sievierodonetsk and the neighbouring city of Lysychansk were the only notable parts of the oblast that remained under Ukrainian control.
By 14 June 2022, Russian forces had gained control of most of the city and cut off most escape routes. On 24 June 2022, Ukrainian units were ordered to retreat from the city and the next day Russian and pro-Russian separatist forces fully captured Sievierodonetsk. The Russian advance shifted towards neighbouring Lysychansk, resulting in the battle of Lysychansk.
The battle of Sievierodonetsk was marked by fierce urban combat and has been described as one of the war's bloodiest. Around 90% of the city's buildings were destroyed or damaged.