KYIV/SLOVIANSK, Ukraine—Ukrainian troops holding out in the ruins of Sievierodonetsk came under renewed heavy assault on Wednesday from Russian forces who see the capture of the industrial city as key to control of the surrounding Luhansk region.
Turkey hosted Russia’s foreign minister to discuss a U.N. plan to open a corridor in the Black Sea for Ukrainian grain exports. Russia’s Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine must first de-mine its ports—a move Kyiv fears would make it more vulnerable to attacks from the sea.
Russian forces have been focused for weeks now on seizing Sievierodonetsk, which was home to some 106,000 people before Moscow invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The Luhansk region’s governor said Ukrainian forces would not surrender the city….