On Monday, Ukraine’s military celebrated its first successful counterattack against Russian forces in Bakhmut.
Kyiv acknowledged Bakhmut’s difficulties. It warned that Moscow was still sending assault soldiers to Bakhmut’s outskirts to capture the city.
After months of fierce warfare, the Ukrainian military announced it had started to push Russian forces back in and around Bakhmut. Moscow acknowledged that its men had pulled back north of the city.
“The advance of our troops along the Bakhmut direction is the first success of offensive actions in the defence of Bakhmut,” Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of Ground Forces, said on Telegram.
“The last few days have shown that we can move forward and destroy the enemy even in such extremely difficult conditions,” he stated. “We’re outgunned. We can also thwart its plans.”
Ukrainian officials say the Bakhmut gains do not herald the start of a significant counteroffensive to reclaim Russian-occupied territory.
“Everything” was difficult in Bakhmut, said Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar.
Russian aims remain unchanged. “They’re sending assault troops to Bakhmut’s outskirts,” she stated on Telegram.
Battlefield accounts were unconfirmed by Reuters.
Moscow, which invaded Ukraine about 15 months ago, sees Bakhmut as a springboard to assaulting other Ukrainian cities. Kyiv has stated that defending Bakhmut helps the military to organize its expected counteroffensive.
Comment Template