The Ukrainian army commander said that Russia is reinforcing Bakhmut, helping forces there shift from a defensive to an offensive stance.
"The enemy has significantly reinforced its forces in Bakhmut and shifted from a defensive to an active stance. The situation near the city of Kupyansk is also very difficult; Russian troops are attempting to advance simultaneously in multiple directions," Ukrainian ground army commander Oleksandr Syrsky said on October 30.
"Active action" is a term often used by Russia and Ukraine to describe small-scale offensives around a specific front line or battlefront.
Russian soldiers fire leaflets towards Ukrainian front lines on October 13. Photo: RIA Novosti
Volodymyr Fityo, spokesman for the Ukrainian ground forces, said that Russian troops had been preparing for the operation to control key positions around Bakhmut since the beginning of the month. "We anticipated everything and reinforced our defensive positions, mobilizing additional reserves. This move was not unexpected," he said.
The Ukrainian General Staff announced on the same day that its units were continuing their offensive efforts toward Bakhmut, emphasizing that they had successfully thwarted Russian counterattacks on the strategic villages of Kleshcheevka and Andreevka south of the city.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has not commented on the information.
Russian media reported on October 30 that engineering units of the 98th Airborne Division were clearing mines and preparing the way for the movement of soldiers and military vehicles in northern Bakhmut.
Bakhmut is a city that Kyiv lost to Moscow in May, following what is considered the bloodiest and longest siege since the conflict began. An estimated thousands of soldiers on each side have died after 10 months of fighting there, earning Bakhmut the nickname "the meat grinder".
The Ukrainian army then concentrated its efforts on retaking the city, with the first significant advance being the recapture of the villages of Kleshcheevka and Andreevka in late September.
Location of the city of Bakhmut/Artemovsk, the villages of Kleshcheevka and Andreevka. Graphic: RYV
Ukraine says its military wants to control Bakhmut to contain Russian forces, prevent them from advancing further west, and directly target Kyiv's front lines in the region. Meanwhile, RT's military expert Vladislav Ugolny believes Ukraine is focusing its efforts on Bakhmut because it is a matter of "honor."
Vu Anh (According to Reuters, RIA Novosti )
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