Ukraine will send additional reinforcements to Bakhmut. The Russian defense minister described the battle for the city as key to the offensive of his forces in Ukraine.
Despite persistent speculation that Russian forces are edging closer to encircling Bakhmut, which would force the evacuation of its Ukrainian defenders, the command in Kiev has unanimously backed the deployment of reinforcements. This became clear from an evening address by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The battle for Bakhmut has been going on for months, and in recent weeks the fighting has already taken to the streets of the city itself, which the Russians call Artyomovsk. Mastering it will allow the continuation of the offensive towards the Ukrainian defense lines in the Donbass, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said today.
According to Kiev, in the last 24 hours alone, Russia has lost 1,600 soldiers in the fighting, a figure that cannot be independently confirmed.
At the same time, Ukrainian forces revealed the identity of a captured soldier, whose execution video has sparked widespread outrage. The man chanted the popular slogan “Glory to Ukraine” before being shot and abused by men behind the scenes. His name is Timofey Shadura, and Volodymyr Zelensky has promised that his killers will be found.
