A victory for Kyiv’s forces
Ukraine has pushed back Russian forces from some areas near Bakhmut. This is the longest-running battle of Moscow’s invasion. A senior Ukrainian official said this on Wednesday. He said Russian troops had retreated by up to 2km (1.2 miles) in some parts of the front. He said this was due to effective counterattacks by Kyiv’s forces.
A dispute between Wagner and the regular army
Wagner is a Russian paramilitary group. It leads the Kremlin’s offensive on Bakhmut. Its founder is Yevgeny Prigozhin. He has complained to Moscow that it lacks resources. He threatened this week to withdraw his forces. He said the defense ministry did not provide more ammunition.
A Ukrainian unit said on Wednesday that it had routed a Russian brigade. It said this confirmed Prigozhin’s account. Prigozhin said on Tuesday that the Russian brigade had fled. He said they left behind 500 corpses.
Moscow has not commented on these reports. The Russian brigade is part of the 72nd Separate Motor-rifle Brigade. It has several thousand troops.
A fierce battle for Bakhmut
Ukraine says its defense forces are holding the front. They are preventing the enemy from advancing. They say the battle for Bakhmut is continuing. They have used anti-tank grenade launchers and Grad rocket systems.
Russia has been fighting a war against Ukraine since 2014. It annexed Crimea and backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Last year, it launched a massive invasion. It captured large parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. It also threatened Kyiv and other cities.
The international community has condemned Russia’s aggression. It imposed sanctions on Moscow. But Russia has ignored the pressure and continued its offensive.