Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says preventing in Bakhmut ‘hot’ as Putin’s mercenaries declare good points
Ukrainian army mentioned preventing was nonetheless happening in Bakhmut and a number of other different cities after the top of Wagner mercenary drive claimed his troops had raised the Russian flag over the Ukrainian metropolis.
Kyiv,UPDATED: Apr 3, 2023 14:53 IST
A Ukrainian serviceman drives an armoured personnel provider (APC) alongside a highway close to the frontline close to Bakhmut, Donetsk area (AFP picture)
By Reuters: The head of the Wagner mercenary drive mentioned his troops had raised the Russian flag over the Ukrainian metropolis of Bakhmut’s administrative constructing, however Ukraine’s army mentioned its defenders have been nonetheless preventing within the ruined streets.
Bakhmut has been the scene of one of many bloodiest battles of the conflict, now in its second 12 months, with large casualties on each side and far of the jap metropolis destroyed by bombardments.
Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin mentioned his troops, who’ve spearheaded the Kremlin’s marketing campaign to encircle and seize Bakhmut, had raised a Russian flag on its administrative constructing within the metropolis centre. But he acknowledged that Ukrainian troops have been nonetheless holding positions.
“From a legal point of view, Bakhmut has been taken. The enemy is concentrated in the western parts,” he mentioned in video posted on Telegram on Sunday. Prigozhin has beforehand made claims that have been untimely.
FIGHTING ON IN BAKHMUT: ZELENSKYY
But the Ukrainian army mentioned on Monday that preventing was nonetheless happening in Bakhmut and a number of other different cities.
“The enemy continues its assault on the city of Bakhmut. However, our defenders courageously hold the city,” the army mentioned.
Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesman for the Odesa army administration, additionally scorned Prigozhin’s declare.
“What does it mean: if the flag of Ukraine is hung on a Moscow building, it means that Moscow is taken?” he mentioned on Telegram. “And we, Ukrainians, are in the western districts of the city.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his Sunday evening video handle, thanked troopers preventing in Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Maryinka.
“Especially Bakhmut. It is especially hot there,” he mentioned.
MULTIPLE ATTACKS
Ukrainian army analyst Oleh Zhdanov mentioned preventing had engulfed the centre of Bakhmut. Ukrainian forces had repelled 25 enemy assaults however Russian forces had captured the AZOM metallic plant, he mentioned.
“The enemy is attacking the city centre from the north, the east and the south and is trying to take the city under its full control,” Zhdanov mentioned in a video on YouTube.
Reuters couldn’t confirm the battlefield studies.
A mining metropolis and logistics hub on the sting of a bit of Donetsk province underneath Russian management, Bakhmut had a inhabitants of 70,000 earlier than Moscow invaded Ukraine in February final 12 months.
Russian forces, slowed down in a conflict of attrition after a collection of setbacks, are looking for a victory to offer new momentum to a winter offensive however they’ve suffered large casualties within the battle for Bakhmut.
Ukrainian army commanders have mentioned their very own counteroffensive – backed by newly delivered Western tanks and different {hardware} – isn’t far off however they’ve harassed the significance of holding Bakhmut and inflicting losses on their enemy within the meantime.
Russia calls its invasion of Ukraine a “special military operation”, claiming Kyiv’s ties to the West posed a safety menace. Kyiv and the West name the conflict an unprovoked assault to subdue an impartial nation.
Tens of hundreds of Ukrainian civilians and troopers on each side have been killed. Russia has destroyed Ukrainian cities and compelled hundreds of thousands of individuals to flee their houses, and it claims to have annexed almost a fifth of Ukraine.
RUSSIA POSITIONS NUKES IN BELARUS
Meanwhile Moscow’s ambassador to Minsk mentioned on Sunday that Russia would transfer nuclear weapons near the western borders of Belarus – a transfer that may place them at Nato threshold.
The weapons “will increase the possibilities to ensure security”, ambassador Boris Gryzlov instructed Belarusian state tv.
“This will be done despite the noise in Europe and the United States.”
In warnings to the West towards arming Ukraine, Russian officers more and more play up the dangers of nuclear weapons getting used within the conflict, and final month mentioned they might station tactical nuclear weapons in neighbouring Belarus.
Posted By:
Devika Bhattacharya
Published On:
Apr 3, 2023
