Ukrainian forces are trying to advance and open violent battle fronts to penetrate the Russian defenses
Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Sunday that two of its military commanders had been killed in eastern Ukraine, as Kiev tried again to breach Russian defenses in the besieged Bakhmut.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a daily briefing that Vyacheslav Makarov, commander of the 4th motorized rifle brigade, and Yevgeny Brovko, deputy commander of a separate unit, were killed while trying to repel the Ukrainian attacks.
Makarov was leading the troops from the front line and that he died a hero from being wounded by several shrapnel.
The Russian Defense Ministry also stated that the Ukrainian forces launched attacks in the north and south of Bakhmut during the past 24 hours, but didn’t succeed in penetrating the Russian defenses.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Wagner group, which leads the majority of Russian operations in Bakhmut, said his forces had advanced as much as 130 meters in the past 24 hours.
In an audio statement on the Telegram, Prigozhin said his forces had taken control of 28 multi-storey buildings on the western outskirts of Bakhmut, where Ukrainian forces were still operating.
He added that the Ukrainian forces still control 20 buildings and an area of 1.69 square kilometers.
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hana Malyar confirmed on Sunday, that the Ukrainian forces continue to advance in the Bakhmut sector.
“Our units captured more than ten enemy positions in the north and south of Bakhmut and cleared a large area of forest near Ivanevsky… Enemy soldiers from various units were captured”.
Neither side was able to fully control Bakhmut, despite the fierce war that has been going on for months, in which both sides suffered heavy losses.
Moscow admitted on Friday that its forces had retreated north of the city amid an intensification of Ukrainian offensives, but Kiev played down suggestions that it had officially begun the major counteroffensive it had been planning for a long time.
