Despite heavy opposition from the poorly armed Ukrainian military, Moscow’s soldiers have been battering eastern Ukraine for weeks and are starting to gain.

With President Vladimir Putin’s forces increasing their hold on the strategically crucial Donbas city of Severodonetsk, its twin city of Lysychansk is now being bombed more heavily.

Russian soldiers have been seizing towns in the zone, and capturing the two cities would give Moscow authority of the entire Lugansk region, enabling it to push farther into the Donbas.

Following their February invasion of Kjiv and other regions of Ukraine, Moscow is attempting to hold a broad eastern portion of the nation.