Ukraine and Russia are locked in an intense street-by-street fight for territory in the strategic city of Severodonetsk and surrounding areas, with Ukraine’s forces saying they have clawed back ground under a barrage of artillery attacks in recent days, writes The Washington Post.

“With the support of artillery, the Russian army continues storming operations in Severodonetsk. It controls the eastern part of the city.

But Ukrainian forces are pushing back. In the past 24 hours, five enemy attacks have been repulsed, and three tanks, four artillery systems, 11 armored combat vehicles and 26 vehicles have been destroyed”, - said Serhiy Haidai, governor of the Luhansk region, adding that a combat helicopter and two drones were shot down.

The resistance from Ukrainian forces is “likely blunting the operational momentum” that the Russians previously achieved in the city, the British Defense Ministry said in its latest update.

On Saturday, Haidai said in a television interview that Ukrainian forces now control about half of the city. Russia’s military had captured up to 70% of it last week.

He also downplayed an earlier assessment by British defense officials that the entire Luhansk region could fall into Russian hands in the next two weeks, saying Ukrainian troops have enough reinforcements to defend their positions and launch more attacks. Severodonetsk is one of the last cities standing in the way of Russia controlling the region.