[24][25] Former separatist commander Igor Girkin claimed that there was no fighting for the city, and that Russian troops simply entered after Ukrainian forces withdrew.[26] Vitaly Kiselyov, the LPR's Assistant to the Interior Minister, backed up Russian war correspondents' claims that Russian and LPR forces seized control of Siversk,[27] but footage published by the Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation confirmed that Russian forces did not capture Siversk on July 14, contradicting this claim. The Ukrainian General Staff claimed that Russian forces launched an attack and airstrike on Verkhnokamyanske on July 15, but the attack was repelled by Ukrainian forces.