KYIV, May 29 (Reuters) – Russian forces intensified their assault on the largest city held by Ukrainian forces in the Donbas region in the east on Sunday as Kyiv said it was hopeful longer-range weapons it desperately needs from Western allies could soon arrive. Slow, solid Russian gains in recent days in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas, comprising the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, point to a subtle momentum shift in the war, now in its fourth month. Invading forces appear close to seizing all of the Luhansk region, one of the more modest war goals the Kremlin set after abandoning its assault on the capital, Kyiv, in the face of Ukrainian resistance. Russia’s defence ministry said its troops and allied separatist forces were in full control of Lyman, the site of a railway junction west of the Siverskyi Donets River in the Donetsk. However, Ukraine’s deputy defence minister, Hanna Malyar, said the battle for Lyman continued, Sievierodonetsk, some 60 km (40 miles) northeast of Lyman on the eastern side of the river and the largest Donbas city still held by Ukraine, was under heavy assault. “The situation has extremely escalated,” said Serhiy Gaidai, the governor of Luhansk. The shelling was so intense it was not possible to assess casualties and damage, though two people were killed on Saturday and 13 more buildings in the city were destroyed, he said. Gaidai said on Friday that Ukrainian troops might have to retreat from the city to avoid capture but it was not clear whether they had begun to pull out. Russian artillery was also pounding the Lysychansk-Bakhmut road, which Russia must take to close a pincer movement and encircle Ukrainian forces, and police said there was “significant destruction” in Lysychansk. Ukrainian presidential adviser and peace negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak repeated a call for U.S.-made long-range multiple-rocket launchers. U.S. officials have told Reuters such systems are actively being considered, with a decision possible in coming days. “It is hard to fight when you are attacked from 70 km away and have nothing to fight back with … we need effective weapons,” Podolyak posted on Twitter. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy voiced hopes in a late-night video address that Ukraine’s allies would provide needed weapons, adding that he expected “good news” in the coming days. In a sign of frustration over Western differences on the war as its economic costs become more evident, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna said NATO had shown itself incapable of mounting a united response. Ukraine is a major grain exporter, and the blockage of its exports threatens to result in food shortages in a number countries, including in Africa. Zelenskiy said in a television interview he believed Russia would agree to talks if Ukraine could recapture all the territory it has lost since the invasion began on Feb. 24. Russia says it is waging a “special military operation” to demilitarise Ukraine and rid it of nationalists threatening Russian-speakers there. Ukraine and Western countries say Russia’s claims are a false pretext for a war of aggression. NN: I fully expect the bad news to keep coming. NATO, the EU and US are still living in LALA land. The Ukraine cannot win the war without LONG range rockets and a REAL air force. As we have learned the side that has the longest reach and controls the skies usually wins. NATO refuses to face the reality… Its their fight! Better fight in the Ukraine then Poland!.