Commander Ukrainian ground forces said today that its troops continue to violently fight back Russian attacks on Oriental the city of Bahamut and that its defense is a “military necessity”.

The Ukrainian military said that Gen. Oleksandr Sirsky acted during a visit to the front lines in the eastern part of the country to address “problematic issues that impede the effective conduct of combat” and made “operational decisions aimed at strengthening our ability to push back and inflict damage on the enemy.”

He did not provide any details or specify when the attack took place, but Sirsky’s comments indicated Ukraine’s intention to continue fighting in Bakhmut despite heavy loss of life.

“Most intense phase” of the fight

“The most intense phase of the battle for Bahamut continues. The situation is always difficult. The enemy suffers significant losses in manpower, weapons and military equipment, but continues to strike,” he said.

Praising the resilience of the Ukrainian forces in “extremely difficult conditions”, he said: “The defense of Bakhmut is due to military necessity … We are considering all possible scenarios, and she will act adequately to the current situation. .”

President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Bakhmut region last week and presented medals to soldiers during the trip to boost morale as Ukraine prepares for a possible counter-offensive after 13 months of war.

Valery Zaluzny, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, said on Saturday that the situation around Bakhmut was “stabilizing.”

Moscow sees the capture of the city as vital to completing its takeover of the industrial Donbass in eastern Ukraine, one of its key war goals.

^{Source: APE-MEB, Reuters}