Ukraine's Bakhmut Counterattack Is Building Momentum

Ukraine's counterattack efforts in the embattled city of Bakhmut are gaining momentum, according to Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar.

Malyar reported on her Telegram channel on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had captured more than 10 Russian positions on the northern and southern outskirts of the industrial city of Bakhmut in the space of a day.

Bakhmut has been the scene of some of the most intense fighting since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russian and Ukrainian forces have clashed for months in the city, which is located in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region and had a pre-war population of 70,000. Kyiv had said on Friday that it had made advances in Bakhmut, though Russia's Defense Ministry denied reports of Ukrainian breakthroughs in the fight for the city.

"We continue to move forward in the direction of Bakhmut in the suburbs," Malyar said. "[Ukrainian soldiers] operate at the limit of superhuman capabilities...the enemy has gathered all his forces there and is trying to advance, destroying everything in its path. Fierce fighting continues."

"[Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Ground Forces of Ukraine] keeps the situation under control. Analyzes, plans, makes decisions. As it should be, a real combat general with the army in the hottest moments," wrote Malyar.

Malyar said Ukraine's military leadership and "the steadfastness and courage of our soldiers" had so far prevented Russian forces from surrounding Bakhmut and "achieve a resounding victory."

Syrskyi said on Telegram Monday that the advance of Ukraine's troops constituted "the first success of offensive actions in the defense of Bakhmut."

"The last few days have shown that we can move forward and destroy the enemy even in such extremely difficult conditions," he said. "We are fighting with fewer resources than the enemy. At the same time, we are able to ruin its plans."

Newsweek could not independently verify the reports from Malyar and Syrskyi.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington D.C.-based think tank, said in an assessment published on Sunday that Russia's Defense Ministry (MoD) was attempting to distract from recent Ukrainian successes near the city by praising its own defensive efforts.

Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs, in an interview with Newsweek in February, outlined the importance of Bakhmut remaining under Ukrainian control.

Bakhmut is "a live wall that allows us to prepare our troops for de-occupation," he said, implying that a successful defense of the city could put Ukrainians forces in a position to launch their highly anticipated counteroffensive.

Many analysts have said Russia sought to use the city as a stepping stone toward its goal of capturing the entire Donbas region—one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's stated war aims.

Newsweek has contacted Russia's Foreign Ministry for comment via email.

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