The Ukrainian army said on Saturday it would “advance” around Bachmout, the epicenter of fighting with Russian troops in eastern Ukraine, while Moscow pledged to continue its advance in the city, which is already mostly under its control and today largely devastated is.
• Also read: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has arrived in Rome
• Also read: Germany announces weapons deliveries to Ukraine worth 2.7 billion euros
• Also read: Ukraine says it has recaptured up to two kilometers around Bakhmout
“The defensive operation towards Bakhmout continues. “Our soldiers are advancing in some areas of the front, and the enemy is losing equipment and troops,” commander of Ukraine’s Ground Forces Oleksandre Syrsky told Telegram.
The day before, Ukraine had said it had advanced two kilometers around Bachmout, which Moscow had denied.
On Saturday, however, Russia’s Defense Ministry did not comment on Ukraine’s claims, noting in a statement that “assault units liberated a district in the northwestern part of the city of Artemovsk,” the Russian name for Bakhmout.
The Battle of Bakhmout is the bloodiest and longest since the Russian invasion began on February 24, 2022.
Observers doubt the strategic importance of Russia’s capture of this city, but it would give Moscow victory after several humiliating setbacks.
For its part, Kiev assumes that it wants to tire the Russian army as much as possible by stationing it in this area of the Donbass before launching an offensive to retake the occupied areas in the east and south of the country, preparing for the noisy Ukrainian officials “reaching their end”.
Moscow also accused Kiev on Saturday of using British long-range Storm Shadow missiles to attack “civilian targets” in the Russian-controlled Lugansk region (east) the previous day.
Russia reported “wounded, including six children,” in this attack, which was attributed to the Ukrainian army.