Kyiv forces have stabilized the situation near Bakhmut, reports the General Staff of Ukraine

The Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian Army confirmed that his troops succeeded in “stabilize“The situation around Bakhmut, the epicenter of eight months of fighting against Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. the situation”The most difficult“leading”Around BakhmutValery Zaluzhny had a telephone conversation with the Chief of the British Defense Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin late on Friday evening. “Thanks to the tremendous efforts of the defense forces, we manage to stabilize the situation“Valery Zaluzhny wrote on Facebook.

The city, which had about 70,000 residents before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022 but is now deserted by civilians, is the scene of the longest and bloodiest battle since the war broke out. Russian forces occasionally claim hard-won territory around the city, which has become more of a symbol than a strategic location from a purely military point of view as the fighting continues.

Russian forces are “exhausted”.

According to the report of the British intelligence services published on Saturday.Russia’s attack on the city of Bakhmut in the Donbas region has basically reached a dead end.“. “This is most likely primarily a result of the extreme attrition of Russian forces– said in the statement of the British, emphasizing that Kiev also “suffered heavy losses“.

Oleksandr Sirsky, commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, said on Telegram on Thursday that the counterattack could “very soon“will launch against Russian forces”exhaustedNear Bakhmut. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi visited the Ukrainian troops near the Bakhmut front on Wednesday.

In recent weeks, Russian forces have advanced north and south of Bakhmut, cutting off several Ukrainian supply routes. Yevgeny Prigozhine, the head of Russia’s Wagner militia, whose men are on the front lines of the battle, said Monday that his forces control about 70% of the city.