Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine says it is in control of Sievierodonetsk plant

Serhiy Gaidai, governor of the Luhansk region informed through Telegram that Ukraine continues to be in control of Azot chemical plant in Sievierodonetsk. He called the information about the blockade of the Azot plant 'a lie '

The sources reported that Russia is targeting Sievierodonetsk in eastern advance and it has become the epicentre of the battle in eastern Ukraine for control over the industrialised Donbas region, made up of the Luhansk and Donetsk provinces.

Ukraine conceded that Russian forces now controlled most of the small city in Luhansk province and Russian shelling has caused a fire at the chemical plant.

The ongoing fighting in the eastern region is said to be the bloodiest ever since the war began, Reuters reported.

Moscow called the action a 'special-military operation' to disarm and 'denazify' Ukraine. Russia has turned its focus now to expanding control in the Donbas region where pro-Russian separatists have held a swath of territory since 2014, the publication reported.

Kyiv and its allies called the action an unprovoked war of aggression to capture territory.

The governor informed through Telegram that Ukraine forces are holding an industrial zone of Sievierodonetsk and are destroying the Russian army in the town.

Ukraine informed that around 800 people, including workers of the plant, were hiding in bomb shelters at Sievierodonetsk.

Reuters reported Ukraine's armed forces claimed that they had pushed back a Russian attack on three small towns northwest of Sloviansk in Donetsk province, while fighting continued in a fourth settlement in the area, as well as to the east of the city.