Ukraine retreats in east

KYIV:

Ukraine pulled out troops from a town in the east after fierce battles, it said on Tuesday, as relentless Russian strikes killed three civilians and cut power to thousands in freezing winter temperatures.

Kyiv had to withdraw forces from Siversk, a town in the heavily embattled Donetsk region on the way to two last strongholds held by Ukraine. Russia announced the capture of Siversk almost two weeks ago.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the pre-Christmas strikes showed that the Kremlin had no intention of ending the invasion it launched in February 2022.

The attacks also came two days after US-mediated settlement talks in Miami, which lasted for a few days as the warring sides were working out details of the Washington-proposed plan to end the war.

There has been no sign of an imminent breakthrough in the diplomatic push.

The Ukrainian army said that "to preserve the lives of our soldiers and the combat capability of our units, Ukrainian defenders have withdrawn from the settlement" of Siversk, adding that fighting was still ongoing on the outskirts.

Moscow on Monday reported "slow progress" in talks over the US plan to end the war, as Kyiv and its European allies seek to adjust an initial proposal that adhered to many of Russia's hardline demands. A Russian strike could collapse the internal radiation shelter at the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power station in Ukraine, the plant's director has told AFP. AFP