Ukrainian troops hold their ground in Donestk in eastern Ukraine.
Photo: OLEG PETRASYUK / EFE
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar declared on Monday that Kiev’s forces continue to control part of the southwest of the city of Bakhmut, for which reason they dismiss the accusations of the Russian Ministry of Defense and the head of the Russian group of Wagner mercenaries, Yevgueni. Prigozhin, that his fighters had taken the entire city over the weekend after more than 300 days of fighting.
According to the Kiev spokeswoman, the fighting for the higher areas on the flanks of Bakhmut, which give an advantageous firing position to whoever controls them in that sector, is therefore continuing in the northern and southern suburbs of Bakhmut . “Our troops in Bakhmut control certain infrastructure and the area of houses in the Litak area (…) They do not give the enemy the opportunity to gain positions there. The enemy is deploying additional forces and equipment,” the deputy minister said in a statement.
Last Sunday, the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, assured that Bakhmut is not occupied by Russian troops. This would be the second time that Moscow troops say they have taken the eastern Ukrainian city, which has been under siege and dispute between both sides for more than 300 days.
The Ukrainian leader said he could not share exact information when it came to military tactics, though he noted that Ukraine still has its troops in Bakhmut and witnesses showing the city is not occupied by Russian forces. “There are no misunderstandings, I clearly understand what is happening in Bakhmut, and I clearly understand why all this is happening (…) I can’t share all the tactical positions of our army”, Zelensky said from a G7 conference in Hiroshima, Japan.
The battle of Bakhmut has been one of the longest and bloodiest of the Ukrainian War, since last year, when the invasion of Russia began. The taking of Bakhmut has been delayed on several occasions by the response of the kyiv troops.
With information from EFE
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