Ukrainian troops to withdraw from Severodonetsk, local leader says

• Lysychansk, Severodonetsk's twin city in the Luhansk region, has also endured days of heavy shelling, prompting a Ukrainian official to warn the battle for the Donbas is "entering a sort of fearsome climax" this week.

Driving the news: "Unfortunately, we will have to remove our military from Severodonetsk, because staying in broken positions makes no sense — the number of dead is growing," Luhansk region Gov. Serhiy Haidai said in a Telegram post.

• "Defenders of Severodonetsk will leave the city for new, more fortified positions," Haidai said in a later post.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.