Ukrainian troops have broken through the Russian defense line near Bakhmut, in the east of the country, the commander of kyiv’s ground troops, General Oleksandr Syrsky, said on Monday. After the recapture of the village of Andriïvka and Klichchiïvka, “the enemy’s defense line was breached,” Mr. Syrsky was quoted as saying by the army press center.
These small towns “were an important element of the Russian defense line extending from Bakhmut to Gorlivka,” he added. The Russian 72nd, 31st and 83rd brigades “were destroyed and completely lost (their) combat capability” in the battles near Bakhmut, General Syrsky claimed. “The general situation in the eastern area remains complicated” and “fierce fighting near Bakhmout continues,” the soldier admitted.
After the loss of the two localities near Bakhmut, the Russian army “conducts numerous counterattacks” hoping to “retake lost positions” and is preparing to renew its attacks further north, in the area of ??Kupiansk and Lyman, a underlined Mr. Syrsky. Ukraine announced the recapture of Andriïvka on Friday and Klichtchiïvka on Sunday, both located south of the town of Bakhmut.
A town of 70,000 inhabitants before the invasion launched by Russia in February 2022, Bakhmout was conquered last May by Russian forces after one of the longest and bloodiest battles of this war. Ukraine launched a counter-offensive in June to retake territories occupied by Russia, after receiving Western weapons and training new battalions. Ukrainian forces almost immediately began to regain ground on the northern and southern flanks of this city.
