Ukrainian officials say Russian forces continue to bombard the Donetsk region, with just over 200 attacks on the Bakhmut region in the past 24 hours – but they claim the Russians are losing hundreds of people on the front lines every day.
eastern city of bachmut According to Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesman for the Eastern Bloc of the Armed Forces, this remains “the focus of the enemy’s main attack”.
Cherevati said it was difficult to tell whether the intensity of Russian attacks around Bahmut was waning due to factors such as the weather and the Russians rotating troops or reserves in advance.
However, Russian tactics remained the same with small tactical groups “trying to drain our defenses,” he said. Soldiers of Wagner’s mercenaries were near Bakhmut, with Russian troops providing reinforcements if necessary, he said.
“We knocked them out. In fact, if Wagner fighters continue to have the same momentum, there won’t be any Wagner fighters after a while,” Cherevatyi said.
Cherevati distinguishes the Battle of Bahmut from battles elsewhere.He said further north, Wagner is less visible Lyman and near KupyanskOver the past day, regular Russian troops, backed by Luhansk militias, have carried out more than 400 attacks.
“The main task now is to defend and deplete the enemy’s forces, while training troops in Ukraine and abroad, equipping them with new defensive equipment, and coordinating them,” Cherevatii said.
in and around avdivka townIn the Donetsk region, Russia continued its heavy bombing and airstrikes against Ukrainian fortifications.
Military spokesman Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyi said: “We have been in the city, there have been explosions. We have not seen a single building that has not been damaged. Unfortunately, there are still civilians in Avdiivka. People live in the basement.”
But he said many civilians were reluctant to leave, especially the elderly, and that the city had been without power since last May.
Dmytrashkivskyi said that the Russians are trying to bypass the town, “These attacks are constantly accompanied by shelling. Yesterday the enemy carried out 26 attacks and suffered considerable losses. More than 100 people were killed and more than 240 were injured,” he claimed. “During the day, they attacked with the help of planes, artillery and manpower. They suffered heavy losses in terms of manpower and equipment.”