Kyiv: Heavy fighting was underway Sunday in the northern Ukrainian city of Bakhmutsaid the leader of the Russian mercenary group Wagner.
Russian forces have been trying for months to take control of Bakhmut in the eastern region of Donetsk in what has become the longest and bloodiest battle since Russia invaded Ukraine last February.
Despite the flow of Western weapons, Russia has claimed gains in the region in recent days.
“In the northern districts of Artemovsk, fierce battles are going on for every street, every house, every stairwell,” Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a statement, referring to Bakhmut by his former name.
He said that the Ukrainian army was not retreating. “Ukrainian Armed Forces are fighting to the end,” he said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Kyiv troops would fight for Bakhmut “as long as we can”.
“Over the past week, Russia has continued to make small advances in its attempt to encircle the town of Bakhmut in the Donbass,” Britain’s Ministry of Defense said on Sunday.
The two main access routes to the city for Ukrainian troops “are now both likely to be threatened by direct fire, following Russian advances”, the British Ministry of Defense said. “Bakhmut is increasingly isolated.”
Meanwhile, in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, a missile strike hit a residential building on Sunday, injuring four people, said Oleg Synegubov, head of the regional administration. Another strike injured a security guard when a missile hit an institute, he said.
On Saturday, “the Russians killed four residents of the Donetsk region,” said Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the regional administration, adding that 11 other people were injured.
Russian forces have been trying for months to take control of Bakhmut in the eastern region of Donetsk in what has become the longest and bloodiest battle since Russia invaded Ukraine last February.
Despite the flow of Western weapons, Russia has claimed gains in the region in recent days.
“In the northern districts of Artemovsk, fierce battles are going on for every street, every house, every stairwell,” Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a statement, referring to Bakhmut by his former name.
He said that the Ukrainian army was not retreating. “Ukrainian Armed Forces are fighting to the end,” he said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Kyiv troops would fight for Bakhmut “as long as we can”.
“Over the past week, Russia has continued to make small advances in its attempt to encircle the town of Bakhmut in the Donbass,” Britain’s Ministry of Defense said on Sunday.
The two main access routes to the city for Ukrainian troops “are now both likely to be threatened by direct fire, following Russian advances”, the British Ministry of Defense said. “Bakhmut is increasingly isolated.”
Meanwhile, in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, a missile strike hit a residential building on Sunday, injuring four people, said Oleg Synegubov, head of the regional administration. Another strike injured a security guard when a missile hit an institute, he said.
On Saturday, “the Russians killed four residents of the Donetsk region,” said Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the regional administration, adding that 11 other people were injured.
