The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine released footage from the Donetsk region showing trenches near the city of Bakhmut where Ukrainian infantrymen are holding back Russian troops, comparing them to World War I battles.

Well-known anti-tank barriers with concrete weights are installed on the street of the front-line city of Bakhmut, Donetsk regionPhoto: Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFP / Profimedia

“No, it’s not footage from Sam Mendes’ new film about the Battle of Verdun or the Somme. We are talking about the trenches near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, which Ukrainian infantry have been holding for several months under intense fire from the Russian side,” the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, claims that his troops will defeat the Russian troops, no matter who Vladimir Putin sends to fight, saying that the Ukrainian military is active in several areas of the front, news.ro notes.

  • “Active actions continue in various areas of the front. A very difficult situation remains in Donetsk region and Luhansk region. The most difficult, as in previous days, is the direction to Bakhmut.
  • We maintain our positions. In general, in the east and south, we are doing everything to make the occupiers feel that they have no prospects. No matter who they send to fight against us, everything will end in defeat for them,” Zelenskyy said.

Pro-Russian forces have in recent days made tactical advances towards the center of Bakhmut, a strategically important city in eastern Donetsk region, and may have advanced into villages south of the city, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said in an assessment on Friday.

The city of Bakhmut is located on the main road leading to the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

British military intelligence says Wagner’s mercenary group likely remains heavily involved in the fighting in Bakhmut.

Russian troops are trying to clear Bakhmut

Russian forces have been shelling Bakhmut, a wine and salt town of 70,000, for weeks, hoping to capture the city, The Moscow Times reported.

About 15 kilometers from Bakhmut, in Chasivskyi Yar, AFP journalists spoke with a military man who was returning from the front line in Bakhmut.

With vivid physical and emotional exhaustion in his eyes, the 50-year-old soldier of the 93rd brigade, called “Polyak”, recalled the four days spent on the tense battlefield.

“The other day I didn’t sleep, I didn’t eat, I only drank coffee,” he said.

“Out of 13 guys in my group, we lost two fighters, and five were evacuated,” said the slightly injured Pole.