Russia Sends in More Troops Amid Barrage of Eastern Ukraine

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) -- Russia is deploying troop reinforcements in eastern Ukraine to help capture a key city, a Ukrainian official said Tuesday, as Moscow's artillery kept up a barrage aimed at grinding down Ukrainian defenses.

Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai told The Associated Press that Russian forces control the industrial outskirts of Sievierodonetsk, one of two cities in the Luhansk region still in Ukrainian hands.

"Toughest street battles continue, with varying degrees of success," Haidai said. "The situation constantly changes, but the Ukrainians are repelling attacks."

Russia appears bent on capturing the entire eastern Donbas part of Ukraine, which is made up of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Though while the Kremlin's forces have superior firepower, the Ukrainians defenders -- among them the country's most well-trained forces -- are entrenched and have the capability to counterattack.

Moscow's strategy has suffered numerous setbacks, however, since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, including a failed attempt to take Kyiv, the capital.

Moscow's forces also kept up an artillery barrage of Lysychansk, a city close to Sievierodonetsk which is almost fully controlled by Russian troops.

Haidai said Russian troops shelled a local market, a school and a college building, destroying the latter. Three wounded people were sent to hospitals in other parts of Ukraine, he said.

"A total destruction of the city is underway, Russian shelling has intensified significantly over the past 24 hours. Russians are using scorched earth tactics," Haidai said.

In all, Ukrainian forces had repelled 10 Russian attacks over the previous 24 hours, according to Haidai. His report couldn't be independently verified.

Ukraine is receiving weapons and ammunition from the West to help fend off relentless Russian attacks. That assistance has become a target for Russian artillery and warplanes.

Russia claimed Tuesday its forces took out two artillery systems given by the United States and a howitzer supplied by Norway.

Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said the Russian artillery barrage destroyed other Ukrainian equipment in the country's east while the Russian air force hit Ukrainian troops and equipment concentrations and artillery positions.

Konashenkov's claims couldn't be independently confirmed.

In Kyiv, meanwhile, autopsies were planned on dozens of Ukrainian fighters killed at the Azovstal steelworks.

The bodies were returned to Ukraine by the Russian occupiers of the fortress-like plant in the destroyed city of Mariupol, where their last-ditch stand became a symbol of resistance against Moscow's invasion.

The Azov Regiment was among the Ukrainian units that defended the steelworks for nearly three months before surrendering in May under relentless Russian attacks from the ground, sea and air.

It was unclear how many bodies might remain at the plant.