The Battle of Bakhmut between the Russian and Ukrainian forces turned into a "street war", and the Russian Ministry of Defense announced today (Tuesday) that its forces are concentrating combat operations in Bakhmut, while the "Wagner" group continues to fight in the city center. And it stated that the Russian aviation carried out 11 flights in the region within one day to support offensive operations, according to what was reported by the “Tass” news agency.
The Ukrainian ground forces published a recent video documenting the reality of the battles with the Russian forces, and the extent of the destruction in the city of Bakhmut. The video showed scenes of street fighting with light weapons between the alleys and houses of this city, most of whose buildings were severely destroyed. The Ukrainian forces commented on it that these scenes can summarize the state of the destroyed city and its surroundings, noting that the footage documents battles being waged by the first mechanized battalion of the army's third attack brigade in Bakhmut.
Acting President of the Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin said that Ukrainian forces are trying to stay in the western part of Pakhmut and hold on to the railway. He said that the Ukrainian forces in the western part behind the railways are still surrounded there, and they still have the opportunity to withdraw to the western part. At the time, the head of the press center of the Russian military group "Vostok" announced that the Russian forces had repulsed the Ukrainian forces' attempt to counter-attack towards southern Donetsk.
He told "TASS" agency today: "Towards the south of Donetsk, the enemy's attempt to launch a counter-attack on the forward positions of the Vostok group was repulsed, confirming the death of 10 fighters."
Russian forces pounded front-line cities in eastern Ukraine with air strikes and artillery on Monday, and Kiev played down a report that it was adjusting some of its counter-attack plans as a result of leaked classified US documents. A senior Ukrainian military commander said the Russians were using a "scorched earth" tactic in Bakhmut, with the city in the eastern Donetsk region and other towns and cities under heavy bombardment.
Both sides suffered heavy losses in the 13-month-old Battle of Bakhmut, amid Ukrainian assurances
That "the situation is difficult, but it can be brought under control." Denis Pushilin, head of the Moscow-controlled part of Donetsk, declared that Russian forces now controlled 75 percent of the city, but considered it premature to talk about the fall of Bakhmut.
As the battles continued, the American CNN network considered that Ukraine had to adjust some of its military plans before its long-awaited counterattack due to the leak of dozens of classified documents.
Okaz (Moscow, Kiev) @okaz_online