More than 500 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded during the 24-hour battle for the city of Bakhmut in Donbas, the spokesman of the Ukrainian army said on Saturday, Reuters informs, citing Agerpres.

Pro-Russian forces fought for months to capture Bakhmut. Both sides have acknowledged that they have suffered significant losses, and exact figures are difficult to verify.

Serhii Cherevati, a spokesman for the armed forces in the east of the country, said the Russians had carried out 16 attacks in 24 hours, with 23 clashes taking place in Bakhmut.

“In the course of hostilities, 221 enemies died and 314 were wounded of various degrees,” he told the TV channel of the National Parliament.

It is not clear whether he was referring to the losses suffered on Friday or in the last 24 hours.

An adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said on Friday that Ukraine has decided to continue fighting in Bakhmut because the battle is exhausting Russia’s best units.

For Moscow, the capture of Bakhmut is an important task, as it will mean a breakthrough in Ukrainian defense and will be a step towards capturing the entire industrial area of ​​Donbass.

British military experts said on Saturday that the Bakhmutka River and a strip of open ground near its banks were a “kill zone” for Wagner’s forces trying to advance on the western side of Bakhmut.