Across the river from a crucial battle, residents of Lysychansk wait for what comes next.

As fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces raged on Monday in Sievierodonetsk, the fate of the strategically important city in eastern Ukraine remained undecided.

From the neighboring city of Lysychansk, across the Seversky Donets River, plumes of smoke could be seen drifting over Sievierodonetsk’s industrial zone, where much of the combat has taken place in recent days and where civilians have taken shelter, according to Ukrainian officials.

Outgoing Ukrainian artillery fire sailed over Lysychansk as the city’s residents waited for what comes next if Sievierodonetsk falls to the Russians. The thuds of Russian return fire quickly followed. Soldiers in private cars, along with ambulances, barreled through the city for much of the day.

Armored vehicles, including tanks and personnel carriers, made their way to the front via a series of highways and dusty back roads that are frequently shelled. Read more

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