Russia puts more strength behind ‘creeping’ Ukraine advance

By JOHN LEICESTER, INNA VARENYTSIA and ANDREA ROSA
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Reinforced Russian troops backed by airstrikes are pummeling a portion of eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian officials said Saturday that Russia’s forces blew up bridges and shelled apartment buildings while fighting to capture two cities that would put a contested province under Moscow’s control. A regional governor said Russian and Ukrainian forces battled street-by-street in Sievierodonetsk and neighboring Lysychansk. The cities are central to the Kremlin’s goal of seizing the entire Donbas region. British officials said Russia is devoting significant troop strength and firepower to a “creeping advance.” Moscow and Kyiv blamed each other for a fire that destroyed the main church at a monastery that is one of Ukraine’s holiest Orthodox Christian sites.