Moscow pounded again and again, Saturday, June 11, the key city of Severodonetsk, to wrest total control. But the depletion of ammunition is increasingly felt, especially on the side…

In the Lugansk region, the Russians show their confidence in front of the press

Visit to the Alchevsk metallurgical complex, in the territory controlled by the government of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic, in eastern Ukraine, Saturday June 11, 2022. AP

Text by: RFI Follow

4 mins

Moscow pounded again and again, Saturday, June 11, the key city of Severodonetsk, to wrest total control.

But the depletion of ammunition is increasingly felt, especially on the Ukrainian side, very dependent on Western military aid.

RFI went with the Russian army to the region of Lugansk, another key city where pro-Russian forces are advancing very slowly.

Russians and pro-Russians wish, at a time when the Ukrainians are desperately demanding arms, to show their confidence.

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With our special correspondent in Lugansk,

Anissa El Jabri

Inside: sparks of fire, molten metal and huge giant iron claws that carry, glowing, steel plates.

Outside, huge colorful pipes and vats.

A total of eight metallurgical plants make up the immense group which is divided between the Lugansk and Donetsk regions, one of the prides of this mining basin that is the Donbass.

In the part held by pro-Russian separatists since 2014, in these metallurgical factories which make up the local identity, while fighting rages outside, the Russian army wants to demonstrate that its special operation, as the Kremlin says, n does not prevent economic activity, or even that the regional future will open up new opportunities.

"Mariupol has not yet regained its full transport capacity"

Evgeny Yurchenko, general director of this mining and metallurgical complex.

Currently, more than 22,000 people work for us.

They are mostly locals.

But recently, there has been an influx of forced migrants.

People especially from Mariupol, metallurgists and chemists come to see us.

And we are happy to have these specialists.

Workers from Mariupol and its Azovstal factory, destroyed, come in particular to replace the some 2,000 workers, says Evgeny Yurchenko, who have gone to the front.

For the moment, Mariupol has not yet regained its full transport capacity, I am thinking in particular of the port installations, the railway lines which still need to be restored.

I believe that the time has not yet come for the entire infrastructure of the port of Mariupol to fully function.

And I'm sure it will be months before we start working.

With the destruction of factories in Mariupol, demand increased.

But even with these outlets, the circulation of goods remains a sensitive subject.

The navigation, in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, of grain ships?

A standoff between Russia and the West which seems, for the moment, without issue.

Leonid Pasechnik, acting leader of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic, with a group of foreign journalists at the site where a new hospital is being built with support from the Russian Defense Ministry.

Luhansk, this Saturday, June 11, 2022. This photo was taken during a trip organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense.

"These are samples of all the weapons of Western countries"

In the meantime, the special operation continues.

However, 100 kilometers as the crow flies from Severodonetsk, under a blazing sun and in the midst of birdsong, the front line seems far away.

But it is there, in everyone's mind.

Starting with that of the leader of the self-proclaimed republic of Lugansk, Leonid Passetchnik.

Today, according to the latest report received this morning, Severodonetsk has not been completely conquered, not 100%.

The nationalist Ukrainian soldiers in particular are still in the industrial zone of the Azot factory, and from there they bombard the city.

That is why it is impossible to say that the situation in Severodonetsk is calm and under our control.

The pro-Russian forces display in front of the press all the American, German, Swiss and French equipment which, they say, was captured in Lugansk at the very beginning of the offensive.

A soldier explains:

Here, these are samples of all the weapons of Western countries which were supplied to the Ukrainian army within the framework of the military assistance of NATO.

In particular, anti-tank guided missiles, an AT4 crewed grenade launcher, American M72 grenade launchers, a Socrates grenade launcher and a large number of new weapons and Bayraktar, Milan and Javelin.

A pro-Russian officer presents an American-made man-portable anti-tank missile system to the press, near the town of Schastia, in the antoproclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, this Saturday, June 11, 2022. AP

How many civilians, how many soldiers in the Azot factory?

If the leader Leonid Passetchnik still claims to ignore it, he displays a clear certainty: the objectives will be achieved.

►Read again: Three foreign fighters sentenced to death in pro-Russian separatist territories

In the Lugansk region, the Russians show their confidence in front of the press

In the Lugansk region, the Russians show their confidence in front of the press

"Mariupol has not yet regained its full transport capacity"

"These are samples of all the weapons of Western countries"

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