Ukrainian defenders hold out in Donbas city under heavy fire

Smoke rises above a self-propelled howitzer 2S1 Gvozdika of pro-Russian troops, which fired a leaflet shell in the direction of Sievierodonetsk to disperse information materials from combat positions in the Luhansk region, Ukraine May 24, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

KYIV/KHARKIV, Ukraine (Reuters) -Russian forces intensified their attacks with barrages of heavy artillery to capture a key Ukrainian city in the southeastern region of Donbas, whose full takeover Moscow's top diplomat said was now an "unconditional priority".

Constant Russian shelling has destroyed all of the critical infrastructure in Sievierodonetsk, the largest city Ukraine still controls in Luhansk, one of the regions in Donbas, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, while pledging to do everything to hold off the advance.