Ukrainian military officials said on Friday that Kyiv was persistently working to retake land near the shattered eastern city of Bakhmut while Russian forces were pouring in additional troops in a bid to stop Kyiv's advances.
"The Russians are throwing huge numbers of forces into the Bakhmut area," Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar told national television. "It has been important for us to establish ourselves on dominant heights in these areas."
Maliar said Ukrainian forces were advancing "slowly but confidently" south of Bakhmut while securing control of positions north of the city. "An extremely fierce battle is going on there."
Accounts from Moscow said Russian troops had repelled eight Ukrainian attempts to advance in the east and inflicted a defeat near Bakhmut.
Ukraine launched a counteroffensive in June focusing on moving southward to the Sea of Azov and severing a Russian land bridge between the occupied east and the annexed Crimean peninsula.
Kyiv, in the 18th month of Russia's invasion, is also determined to recapture land around Bakhmut, seized by Russian forces in May after months of battles.
Writing on the Telegram messaging app, Maliar added: "The enemy is desperately trying to stop our offensive."
Ukrainian forces, she said, were also working to contain intensified Russian attacks on areas farther north in Donestsk region, around Kupiansk and Lyman.
In his nightly video message, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said three of the country's top generals had joined him at a meeting of the command on Friday. He did not provide
details on the situation in frontline sectors.
Much of the fighting has focused on villages on Bakhmut's southern fringes. One prominent commander who comments on the front, Maksym Zhorin, said Ukrainian forces had secured partial control of the key village of Klishchiivka.
There was no official statement regarding his report.
Russia's Defence Ministry, in its daily synopsis of frontline activity, said Russian forces had made air and artillery strikes on Klishchiivka and surrounding towns, knocking out Ukrainian vehicles and equipment.
The report also said Russian forces had pressed offensive action on the southern front and hit Ukrainian personnel and equipment engaged in their drive southward.
© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023.
30 Comments
Blacklabel
Sounds quite underwhelming process considering it’s August now. Neither focus even close to beginning to be met.
The public willingness in the USA to continue the free money and weapons indefinitely has also shifted.
Mr Kipling
Ukraine has taken a few kms of wheat fields and a couple of demolished 5 house villages in the south and Russia has done the same in the east. Ukraine has lost at least 1/3 of its "game changer" hi-tech western fighting vehicles for very little gain. Are you starting to see where this all ends.... Pretty much where both sides are now give or take a few wheat field either way. The only thing yet to be decided is how many more have to die and how much more money the west and Russia is going to waste.
2020hindsights
If the West continues to back it sufficiently, Ukraine will go on grinding the Russians down. If most of the world supports Mr Zelenksy’s vision of peace, the pressure on Mr Putin will mount. A collapse in morale inside Russia, or even of the regime, might happen at any time. But it cannot be counted on. Get ready for a long haul.
stormcrow
Retaking stolen territory held by an enemy who is in greater numbers lying in wait behind minefields and fortified defenses is never an easy thing to overcome, so it'll take some time.
Blacklabel
Biden had abdicated the US role as world peace leader to Saudi Arabia of all places.
Americans are done with this and in “election season” polling rules all else with lifetime politicians like Biden.
“Overall, 55% say the US Congress should not authorize additional funding to support Ukraine..”
“51% say that the US has already done enough to help Ukraine…”
“there is broader support for help with intelligence gathering (63%) and military training (53%) than for providing weapons (43%)..”
ok1517
Well, Ukrainian troops did make some progress!
Broke the first Russian defense line!
Enabled yet another Russian warship!
Looks like some more hits not only on the Kherch bridge!
Russians leaving Crimea en masse.
And those "few kms of wheat fields and a couple of demolished 5 house villages in the south" .... that's how it starts, and they (Ukrainian Forces) will keep on rolling until all of Ukraine, including Crimea other illegally occupied areas are liberated - no more Russian aggressors!
Ukraine prevails!
2020hindsights
Blacklabel
Well, it was called by Zelensky.
It will try to win international support for a peace plan that Mr Zelensky has been touting since last year. It calls, among its ten points, for the full restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, a point that Mr Zelensky says is non-negotiable.
Blacklabel
Every single choice the American left is making is causing there to be no other option but the return of Trump.
Followed by 4 years of lack of self reflection as to how it could have happened to them, again.
ok1517
"Don't be surprised if Trump becomes president again."
President of what and where?
Maybe soon here: ADX Florence ("Supermax").
There he can try to govern his inmates. Good luck with that!
Besides, the majority of Americans still supports Ukraine!
Ukraine prevails!
2020hindsights
Yamaneko
Yes they do.
He does. He has a 10 point peace plan.
True.
2020hindsights
Yamaneko
With 78 indictments against him? Trump is finished.
Blacklabel
10 point peace plan= I really wish Putin would just go back home and give me back everything Obama let him take in 2014. Cause I have all this money I want to keep instead of spending on this war.
Eastman
so finally after few days of silence we have something new in "slava Ukraine" section...
well it does seems that heroi did not some significant breakthrough anyway.
no meters of advance measured.no numbers of russian rockets shot down.
btw i get very surprised that swedish armored vehicle-considered to be high tech can get penetrated with weaponry of our grandfathers/RPG7/very easy...sure nobody here have heard abt that since here was no mention abt that "swedish quality",so if not published here-did not happened at all,right?as usual.
heroi have zero chance to win over Russia,they have prove it for years since this conflict begun...
UChosePoorly
Keep pounding, Ukraine!
lincolnman
Russia losing another large flagship in the Black Sea...
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/08/04/europe/ukraine-sea-drone-russian-warship-black-sea-intl/index.html
How will Putin spin this one - another "accident" like the Moskva?
The families of the Russian sailors killed in these attacks deserve the truth - but Putin will continue with his weak, unbelievable lies...
Dave
Wow, the amount of people that refuse to see that there is only one end to this.
Ukraine just don't have the manpower, Volunteers from overseas are returning home in droves, Nobody wants to be around when winter sets in again.
Eastman
if you believe that UA have no chance to win over Russia click on +
if you believe that UA have chance to win over Russia click on -
Blacklabel
“Just wait until the spring!”became “just wait until next spring, you know we can’t do anything when you ground is frozen and it’s muddy and stuff!”
seems ukraine only has a 3 month window every year that they can actually fight. But they accept money year round!
Eastman
Blacklabel
this local conflict is great business for a few/US gin selling lobbies and Kiev junta/ and same time great misery for a tens of millions...
always ask old question CUI BONO.
UA is done for good.
Jimizo
True for some. Certainly the appalling wars in Iraq and Afghanistan saw a change in perception. What a disaster Bush 2 was.
I wouldn’t put Putin’s disgusting invasion of Ukraine in that bracket though. US troops are not coming back in body bags.
I wouldn’t call aiding a country invaded by a foul little despot ‘senseless’ either
Jimizo
Getting old. Check if the podcasters have anything new for you.
Kyiv.
Blacklabel
The liberal media yesterday was saying Putin just desperate to survive until the US election where Trump is gonna win and withdraw US support for Ukraine!
how terrible of Putin, I agree! Seems so “not fair” to delay like that. But wait….Trump is gonna win?
Jimizo
Which media was that? I read some media which you’d define as ‘liberal’ and some you’d regard as ‘conservative’.
I tend to avoid the conspiracy crackpot zoo.
Could you be more specific?
Blacklabel
CNN, your leftist megaphone!
Jimizo
Again?
This keeps happening. They’ve had More resurrections than the New Testament.
Jimizo
Oh. But I was told nobody watches it.
No use having a megaphone if nobody is listening.
I don’t know why you keep referencing it. Nobody watches and yet it lives in your head.
Blacklabel
They have a website, you know? Often referenced by leftist on social media as their “proof” of something.
So why wouldn’t I use what leftists accept as truthful to simplify things?!
Jimizo
Oh, so people do consume it and it influences people.
Okay. That’s clear now.
I was under a different impression.