In a post on the Telegram messaging app, local Severodonetsk officials said the city was under constant bombardment by Russian bombing.
In scenes reminiscent of the war-torn port city of Mariupol, Severodonetsk Mayor Alexander Stryuk said the long-range attacks had completely destroyed 60 percent of the city’s homes.
“In the last two days, the firing on the city has not stopped,” he said. “The Russian bombing is very strong.”
Stryuk added that at least 1,500 people had been killed in the city and that between 12,000 and 13,000 were still living there.
Russia has invested considerable resources in its attempt to capture Severodonetsk, which would give Moscow full control of Luhansk, half of the eastern Donbas region.
Moscow redirected its efforts to the coal-producing region of Ukraine after failing to capture Kyiv.
Using artillery bombardment to provide cover, Kremlin forces were able to secure a position on the outskirts of the city.
Sergiy Haiday, Luhansk regional governor, said Russian troops had seized a hotel complex in the area, but that Ukrainian forces were fighting to retake it.
“The situation remains difficult because the Russian army has launched all its forces to take the Luhansk region,” he said.
“Extremely fierce fighting is taking place on the outskirts of Severodonetsk. They are simply destroying the city, bombing it every day, bombarding it non-stop.”