MOSCOW: Russia announced on Saturday that its forces were continuing to make advancements inside the frontline town of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, asserting that they had taken control of an area in the city.
The Russian defense ministry referred to Bakhmut by its Russian name, Artemovsk, stating that assault detachments had liberated a block in the northwestern part of the city.
This declaration followed remarks made by the head of Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group, the force leading the assault on Bakhmut, who claimed that regular Russian troops were retreating from the flanks of the town, leaving his forces exposed in its center.
Earlier, the defense ministry had stated that it had redeployed forces north of Bakhmut, suggesting a possible withdrawal from the frontlines.
Fighting in Bakhmut
However, the defense ministry clarified on Saturday that the regular Russian army was providing support to the Wagner forces.
They stated that units of the airborne forces were assisting the assault detachments and engaging the enemy on the flanks.
The ministry added that aviation and artillery had targeted Ukrainian troops near various settlements in the Donetsk region, including Chasiv Yar.
The situation in Bakhmut remains tense, with ongoing military operations and clashes between Russian-backed forces and Ukrainian troops.
The conflict in eastern Ukraine, which began in 2014, has caused significant civilian casualties and displacement, as well as strained international relations.
