Ukraine on Monday acknowledged a “complicated” situation north of Bakhmout, the epicenter of fighting in the east of the country, where the Russian army claimed the capture of a new village, continuing its attempt to encircle this fortress city of Donbass.
A pre-war city of some 70,000, Bakhmout was largely destroyed by more than six months of fighting that caused heavy casualties on both sides. While its strategic importance is disputed, the city has acquired status as a symbol of the struggle between Moscow and kyiv for control of this industrial eastern region.
After several months marked by artillery duels without significant gains on the ground, Russian troops have made progress in recent weeks, particularly north of Bakhmout, where they captured the town of Soledar and its salt mines last month.
The Ukrainian presidency on Monday admitted a “complicated” situation in the village of Paraskoviïvka, south of Soledar and about ten kilometers from the center of Bakhmout, which “is facing intense bombing and assaults” Russian.
The Russian army has claimed the capture of the village of Krasna Gora, in the immediate vicinity of Paraskoviïvka. According to her, “volunteer assault units, with fire support from the artillery forces of the southern group, liberated the village”.
The capture of Krasna Gora had been claimed on Sunday by the boss of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, Evguéni Prigojine, whose men are on the front line in this battle.
The Ukrainian General Staff said in its own daily report that Russian troops had shelled sixteen localities near Bakhmout during the past day with tanks, mortars and artillery.
“Explosions every day”
On Sunday, the spokesman for the “Eastern” command of the Ukrainian army, Serguiï Tcherevaty, declared that “the sector of Bakhmout is still the main zone of enemy attacks” with 167 bombardments and 41 armed clashes reported during of the previous 24 hours.
A Russian occupation official in eastern Ukraine, separatist leader Denis Pushilin, said on Friday that troops from Moscow now had three of Ukraine’s four supply routes to Bakhmut under their control.
Mr Tcherevaty also reported a “record number of shellings” near Lyman, further north, a town which had been abandoned by the Russians in October in the face of a powerful Ukrainian counter-offensive and where they had narrowly escaped an encirclement.
In the city of Kupyansk, north of the front line, AFP journalists observed on Monday buildings destroyed and riddled with bullets and streets littered with charred and overturned cars.
After a loud explosion rocked the city in the early morning, residents said they feared an imminent Russian assault.
“There was shelling in front of my house, which broke all the windows. There are explosions every day, it’s very scary,” said Olga, a 62-year-old resident.
The Ukrainian presidency also reported a “tense” situation near Vougledar, further south, where Russian troops are on the attack.
In Kherson, in southern Ukraine, three people have been killed and one injured in shelling in the past 24 hours, according to the same source.
Ammunition
On the political front, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday appointed a new head of Ukraine’s security services (SBU), Vassyl Maliouk, a combat officer, and a new Interior Minister, Igor Klymenko, whose task will be to form new assault brigades.
Defense Minister Oleksiï Reznikov, weakened by a corruption scandal, has set him the objectives of the next meeting with kyiv’s Western allies scheduled for Tuesday in Brussels.
On Monday, he cited on Facebook anti-aircraft defense against Russian missiles, the delivery of modern tanks and ammunition to Ukraine, soldier training and logistics.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, however, warned on Monday that kyiv was using more ammunition than the Atlantic Alliance was currently producing. “It puts our defense industries under pressure,” he added.
Ukraine has in recent weeks reaped promises of arms deliveries, crucial for its war effort. But kyiv is urging the West to provide it with long-range weapons and fighter jets to deal with Moscow.