Russian troops have reportedly launched “hunt to kill” missions in eastern Ukraine in a bid to purge the area of regional leaders.
Ukrainian officials in eastern areas are being kept constantly on the move in order to avoid death squads as Russia has been making advances in the Donbas region, taking the city of Lyman.
A police chief in the Luhansk region of the Donbas has compared the offensive to the 'Red Terror' carried out by the Bolsheviks in Soviet Russia between 1918 and 1922.
“Heads of local administration, including myself, we are constantly on the move," Chief Oleg Grigorov said.
"The Russians are hunting for our heads, be it capture or outright liquidation.”
Around 95% of Luhansk is now under Russian control and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted the situation was “difficult” in his latest address.
“Donbas will be in Ukraine because this is us, this is our essence,” he added.
“And even if Russia brings destruction and suffering there, we will still restore every city and every community.”
Luhansk’s governor Serhiy Haidai has conceded that Ukrainian troops may have to withdraw to prevent a repeat of the brutal siege in Mariupol.
“It is possible that in order not to be surrounded, they will have to leave,” he said.
“People’s nerves are like steel. Morale is high and there is no panic.
“But the bodies are just lying there, in the street. There are casualties among children. Russians are indiscriminate, they are shooting at residential areas, at the local population.”
Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal last night told the BBC that Russia's invasion has led to the destruction of more than 15,000 miles of roads, hundreds of bridges and 12 airports.
An area of 115,000 square miles of land has been mined or contaminated with bombs, and at least 100 schools, colleges and universities and 500 medical facilities have been ruined or damaged.
