Vitaliy Kiselyov, identified as a deputy minister within the Luhansk People’s Republic, stated that a sizable number of Ukrainian soldiers were trapped in encirclement around Severodonetsk and Lysichansk. He suggested the figure could be in the range of 15,000 to 16,000, noting that it might not reach 20,000 but would land firmly in the mid-teens, as reported by Channel One and corroborated by TASS.
Kiselyov described the fighters’ goal inside the siege as an effort to disrupt essential life-support systems, with the intention of forcing greater pressure on Moscow and the LPR in the future. He alleged that such actions were meant to intimidate civilians for years to come.
The deputy minister claimed the troops were ordered not to retreat from their positions. He recalled episodes in Rubizhnoye where prisoners reportedly urged their superiors to permit withdrawal, only to be told that leaving was forbidden and that the objective should hold until the worst outcome. He added that senior commanders had reportedly left the area some time earlier, suggesting a leadership gap at crucial moments.
Andrey Marochko, a commander within the LPR People’s Militia, clarified that fighting had moved into built-up areas around Severodonetsk, indicating urban combat conditions were intensifying.
Control over Orekhovo and Drobyshevo
The LPR People’s Militia asserted that forces loyal to the republic gained control of the small village of Orekhovo, which has a population of just over 200, located in the Popasnyansky District.
Earlier statements from the Donetsk People’s Republic militias claimed control over the settlement of Drobyshevo, an urban-type community near the Podpesochnoe landscape reserve of local importance. The village’s population had been around 3,000 in 2013, reflecting demographic changes over the years.
Destroyed unit near Kharkov
On May 17, the Russian Guard reported the destruction of a Ukrainian unit and associated equipment near Kharkov. Reconnaissance reportedly detected the movement of an enemy armored column, leading to action on the battlefield.
The published account described a skirmish in which portions of the opposing force attempted to breach the positions of a Russian search group under heavy fire from BMPs. Responding to the evolving situation, Russian Guards directed fire at advancing targets, and a BMP associated with Ukrainian forces was reportedly eliminated by an RPG-30 strike. The target coordinates were subsequently shared with the Defense Ministry’s artillery unit. In the end, two infantry fighting vehicles were destroyed in the engagement.
Ukrainian troops moved from Mariupol
A convoy of buses reportedly departed from Mariupol, potentially carrying Ukrainian soldiers who had surrendered and been evacuated from the Azovstal complex earlier. The column moved with armored support, and no audible shots or explosions accompanied the departure, according to RIA Novosti reporting.
Earlier, Major General Igor Konashenkov, the Russian Defense Ministry’s official spokesman, announced that 265 fighters surrendered at Azovstal in a single day, with 51 sustaining serious injuries. He noted that medical personnel in need received care at Novoazovsk hospital.