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The Jerusalem Post

Ukraine reports gains around Bakhmut, battles continue

 
 Vasilii (34), service man with Ukraine's 80th brigade eats some Easter cake in a forward position during heavy fighting amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, close to Bakhmut Ukraine, April 16, 2023.  (photo credit: REUTERS/KAI PFAFFENBACH)
Vasilii (34), service man with Ukraine's 80th brigade eats some Easter cake in a forward position during heavy fighting amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, close to Bakhmut Ukraine, April 16, 2023.
(photo credit: REUTERS/KAI PFAFFENBACH)

Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said the Ukrainian military had reclaimed about 20 square kilometers from the Russian forces around Bakhmut.

Ukrainian troops have made gains around Bakhmut in recent days but Russian forces have advanced slightly in the eastern city itself, Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said on Tuesday.

She said the Ukrainian military had reclaimed about 20 square kilometers (7.5 square miles) of territory from the Russian forces in the past few days around Bakhmut, a small city where fighting has been fierce for months.

Not part of a broader offensive

Maliar, who has indicated previously that the Ukrainian advances around Bakhmut are not part of a broader counteroffensive planned by Kyiv, said developments there "should not be taken out of context".

"For example, within a few days, our troops liberated about 20 square kilometers from the enemy in the north and south of the suburbs of Bakhmut," she wrote on the Telegram messaging app. "At the same time, the enemy is advancing somewhat in Bakhmut itself, completely destroying the city with artillery."

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She reiterated that Russia was sending in new paratroopers and added: "Heavy battles continue with different results."

 Ukrainian servicemen return from heavy fighting amid Russia?s attack on Ukraine, close to Bakhmut, Ukraine, April 15, 2023.  (credit: REUTERS/KAI PFAFFENBACH)
Ukrainian servicemen return from heavy fighting amid Russia?s attack on Ukraine, close to Bakhmut, Ukraine, April 15, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/KAI PFAFFENBACH)

Reuters was unable to verify the battlefield situation.

The Ukrainian military said last week it had started to push Russian forces back around Bakhmut after months of heavy fighting, and Moscow acknowledged that its forces had fallen back north of the city.

Moscow sees Bakhmut, a city of about 70,000 before Russia's full-scale invasion nearly 15 months ago, as a stepping stone towards capturing the rest of the eastern Donbas region.

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