"Bakhmut Is Semi-Surrounded": Expert Speaks about Heavy Fighting in Donetsk Region

At the Bakhmut direction, Russian troops are making attempts to surround the Ukrainian town and encircle it. The Russian command has brought artillery to the area and is trying to squeeze the flanks from the north and south behind the city of Bakhmut as much as possible. The situation is quite critical, military expert Oleh Zhdanov says.

According to him, the enemy is trying to push Ukrainian forces out of Bakhmut and the Zabakhmutka neighborhood. Invaders are also trying to advance to Bohdanivka, Orikhivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka and Dubovo-Vasylivka.

"The enemy’s artillery support has intensified. Unfortunately, we must state that the Russian command has pulled artillery to the Bakhmut direction, especially to the flanks, where they are trying to push through our defense to close the ring of encirclement around Bakhmut. The line of contact in the north of the city and near the road to Kostyantynivka has not been adjusted. That is, the front line on the southern flank and the southern part of the city is unchanged," Zhdanov says.

The expert notes that the Russians are also trying to make progress in the area of Bilohorivka. However, the situation there remains difficult and unchanged - Russian troops fail to achieve any success, and all their attacks have been repelled.

"Official military sources report that there is no mass movement of our troops from Bakhmut. We have a rotation. We continue to defend Bakhmut. Special operations forces - our special forces - have entered the town. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Those units that have been in Bakhmut for quite a long time are gradually being withdrawn for rotation. So for now, the defense of the city continues, and we are taking stabilization measures along the front line to prevent the enemy from advancing," Zhdanov says.

At the same time, he admits that the situation is quite dangerous. The enemy is trying not only to surround the city, but also "to make a wide neck to increase the risk of our losses during a possible retreat."

"They are trying to do this, but we see that they are not doing too well. The enemy has almost no chance of success during urban battles. That is, our defense is more or less confident and we are holding our positions. That is why they continue to squeeze the flanks from the north and south behind the city of Bakhmut as much as possible. Bakhmut is semi-circumscribed. The situation is quite critical. Only the military leadership knows how events will develop further," the expert summarizes.

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