Battery commander “Volyna” told AFP “we are encircling Bakhmut, kicking out (Russians) of Klyshchyvka”, a village south of the hotspot city.
Bakhmut, once home to 70,000 people and known for its sparkling wine and salt mine, has been destroyed by the longest and bloodiest battle of the war.
“In Bakhmut itself, we are shelling the enemy, and the enemy is shelling us,” Malyar said.
On Friday Ukraine said it had over the past week advanced nearly two kilometres around the southern city of Melitopol, occupied by Russia shortly after the war began.
“People should understand what price we pay for (advancing) … There are a lot of enemies. We need time to grind them,” commander “Bulat” told AFP.
In a televised interview broadcasted on Sunday, Putin said the Ukrainian military made no progress.
“All enemy attempts to break through our defences … they have not succeeded since the offensive began. The enemy is not successful,” Putin said.
On Tuesday the Russian army announced that it advanced 1.5km near the town of Lyman in eastern Ukraine.
In the televised interview, Putin “positively” assessed the course of his special military operation.
GRAIN DEAL NEGOTIATIONS
Putin has not yet said if Russia would renew the deal under which Moscow allowed Ukraine to ship its grain across the Black Sea.
Set to expire late Monday, the deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, signed by Moscow and Kyiv in July 2022, established a protected sea corridor allowing Ukraine’s agricultural goods to reach global markets.
Russia however says obstacles to its own exports remain, and threatens to pull out of the grain deal over the issue.
On Saturday, Putin said Russia still had concerns about the deal.
Source: CNA
