Ukraine set to quit ruined Sievierodonetsk as Russians close in

Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Council Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron, North Macedonia's Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic, Montenegro's President Milo Dukanovic, Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and Romania's President Klaus Iohannis arrive for a family photo, in Brussels, Belgium June 23, 2022. John Thys/Pool via REUTERS

KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine was set to pull its troops from the ruined city of Sievierodonetsk after weeks of street fighting and bombardment, the regional governor said, in what would be a significant gain for Russia as it grinds out its offensive in the east.

Russian troops also occupied a town about 10 km (6 miles) further south, both sides said on Friday, as Moscow closed in on the last slivers of Ukrainian-held territory in the industrial region of Luhansk.