Russia eases attack on Bakhmut

Russian troops have temporarily eased attacks in and around the besieged eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut to regroup and strengthen their capabilities.

In a statement on Telegram, Ukraine Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said Russian troops were continuing to attack but that overall offensive activity had decreased.

“Yesterday and today there have not been any active battles – neither in the city nor on the flanks,” she wrote, adding that Moscow’s troops were instead shelling the outskirts and approaches to Bakhmut.

 “(Russian) troops are being replaced and regrouped,” Maliar said. “The enemy is trying to strengthen its own capabilities.”

Russia’s Wagner private army began handing over positions to regular troops this week after declaring full control of Bakhmut following the longest and bloodiest battle of the war.

Kyiv though has insisted that its forces still control a small part of the city.

Counteroffensive

Separately, senior Ukrainian officials indicated their forces were ready to launch a long-promised counteroffensive soon to retake Russian-occupied territory.

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Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, told the British Broadcasting Corporation that the push could begin “tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or in a week”.

Presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak, speaking to Britain’s Guardian newspaper, said preliminary operations such as destroying supply lines or blowing up depots had already begun.

Ukraine’s top general, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, posted a sleekly produced video on Saturday showing Ukrainian troops swearing an oath and preparing for battle.

“The time has come to return what is ours,” he wrote.

Zainab Sa’id