Damage and debris is seen in Bakhmut, Ukraine, on November 29. (Yevhan Titov/AFP/Getty Images)
Videos posted on social media show Russian troops taking heavy casualties in the areas around Bakhmut in the eastern Donetsk region, although they are capturing some areas, particularly south of the city.
Some videos from Ukrainian military drones show Russian troops in foxholes and trenches, being attacked by explosive charges dropped by the drones. Other videos downstairs show the bodies of Russian soldiers littering the country.
A video captured by the Ukrainian military and published on Telegram shows various weapon systems used in a coordinated attack on Russian positions, including 155mm howitzers and mortars. Some videos show that Russian positions have little protection and are exposed in open terrain.
Russian forces have been attacking the Bakhmut area for months – and more recently have sent newly mobilized but less experienced units forward.
Some Russian units – including those attached to the Wagner Group – seem to have made gradual advances, taking a number of small villages to the south of the city. On Thursday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that “as a result of the offensive actions of Russian troops, the settlement of Kurdiumivka of the Donetsk People’s Republic was completely liberated by units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
The Ministry of Defense had previously announced the capture of three more settlements – but all are small villages.
Ukrainian military fired rockets at Russian positions near Bakhmut, Ukraine on November 24. (LIBKOS/AP)
What Ukraine says: Ukrainians say that fighting in the area continues and that Ukrainian forces destroyed three ammunition depots, a mortar crew “and the enemy’s manpower” during combat operations near Kurdiumivka.
Analysts say Ukrainians are also clearly taking casualties as they come under attack from Russian artillery and tanks. The Ukrainian military has said fighting is continuing in many areas near Bakhmut, but has not admitted losing ground.
Ukraine’s National Guard said units had repelled enemy attacks in the Bakhmut and Avdiivka sectors of the Donetsk region over the past week, “destroying enemy ammunition depots, equipment and personnel.”
His spokesman said that in strikes near the northeastern outskirts of Bakhmut, “Enemy casualties totaled 79 soldiers, 46 of whom were irreparable.
A CNN team in nearby Kramatorsk reported hearing heavy artillery fire for most of Thursday.
In its most recent analysis, the Institute for the Study of War says that the Russian Bakhmut campaign indicates “that the Russian armed forces have fundamentally failed to learn from previous high-loss campaigns focused on targets of limited operational or strategic importance concentrated”.