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Russia has significantly bulked up its forces around the devastated city of Bakhmut in the east and has switched its troops from a defensive posture to taking “active actions”, a Ukrainian military commander said.
Russia captured Bakhmut, the scene of some of the bloodiest fighting of the 20-month war, in May. Ukraine has been on the counteroffensive since June to try to retake occupied land in the south and east, including the town.
“In the Bakhmut area, the enemy has significantly strengthened its grouping and switched from defense to active actions,” General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, wrote on Telegram messenger.
He described the situation in the east as difficult, with Russian forces particularly active near the northeastern Ukrainian-held town of Kupiansk. According to the Ukrainian general, Moscow’s troops there were trying to advance simultaneously in several directions.
In its daily report on the fighting, the Ukrainian General Staff said Russian forces continued in their attempts to regain control over Andriivka to the south of Bakhmut, which Kyiv’s forces said they had retaken in September.
Russia has also been pushing in recent weeks to encircle and capture the eastern town of Avdiivka near Donetsk.
dh/dj (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)
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