Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday the “extremely difficult” situation in the east in front of Russian troops who have gained positions in recent weeks, especially near Bakhmut, reports AFP.

“The situation on the front line, especially in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, remains extremely difficult. This is literally a battle for every meter of Ukrainian land,” Zelenskyy said in his video message on Tuesday evening.

A town of about 70,000 before the Russian offensive began almost a year ago, Bakhmut has been largely destroyed after six months of fighting that caused heavy casualties on both sides.

Even if its strategic importance is contested, the city has become a symbol of the struggle between Moscow and Kyiv for control of the Donetsk industrial district.

On Monday, the presidency of Ukraine acknowledged the “difficult” situation in the town of Paraskoviyvka, only about 10 km from the center of the city of Bakhmut, which is “subject to intense Russian bombing and attacks.”

(source: Agerpres)