Russian Forces Encircle Bakhmut and Shoot Down 5 Ukrainian Fighter Planes

The Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that its airborne forces imposed a cordon on Artyomovsk (Bakhmut) from the northern and southern suburbs, adding that Russian forces liberated three neighborhoods in the northwestern, central and southwestern parts of the city.

The statement also indicated that the Russian forces managed to thwart the attempts of the Ukrainian army to launch a counter-attack on the Russian units in Bakhmut and other areas in Donetsk.

The ministry added that 380 Ukrainian soldiers were killed during the battles for Donetsk, and 75 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the Krasno-Lyman battles.

The situation in Bakhmut

• Activist reports and maps indicated that Russian and Wagner forces were engaged in street fighting with Ukrainian forces in the southwest of the main train station in the city center of Bakhmut.
• It explained that Wagner’s forces fully controlled all the areas east of the main railway, and that they combed the area while continuing their advance towards the last square remaining under the control of the Ukrainian forces.
• Sources stated that the Russian forces advanced from the old hospital area and Karenya Street, and that they were trying to reach the garages area.

5 Ukrainian fighter planes shot down

On the other hand, the Russian army announced today, Thursday, that it had shot down a Sukhoi Su-25 near Oglidar in Donetsk.

This brings the number of Ukrainian combat aircraft shot down by Russian forces in the battles in the Donbass region to 5, within 48 hours.

And the Russian Ministry of Defense reported, on Wednesday, that Russian air defense systems shot down 4 Ukrainian Su-25 and MiG-29 aircraft during the past 24 hours.

The ministry’s statement said, “The Russian Air Force destroyed 4 Ukrainian fighters during the day, two of which were Su-25s and the other two were MiG-29s.”