Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed on Sunday that his army was engaged in a “painful and difficult” battle against Russian forces in the Donbass region (east), where the disputed town of Bakhmout is located.
“I want to pay special tribute to the bravery, strength and resilience of soldiers fighting in Donbass,” Zelenskyy said in his daily statement, adding that it was “one of the most difficult battles.” Painful and difficult.”
Despite a strategic importance disputed by experts, Bakhmut has become a symbol of the struggle for control of the Donbass industrial region, made up of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. Russia annexed it without ever taking full control of it.
Mr. Zelensky on Sunday also thanked the Ukrainian troops who “repelled the attacks, destroyed the occupiers, weakened the enemy’s positions and logistics, and protected our borders and our cities.”
“I thank the whole army, guards, border guards who defend our state around Bakhmout, Vugledar, Avdiivka, Siversk, Svatove, Lyman and Zaporizhya,” he added.