Moscow launches an attack near Bakhmut.. and Kiev: Russia’s forces “fell into a trap”

The Russian Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that Russian forces launched an attack on three groups of the Ukrainian army near the city of Bakhmut, but Kiev said that its forces prevented the Russians from moving in or leaving the city.

Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, Hana Malyar, also spoke of heavy fighting to the north of the city around the town of Liman, which Ukrainian forces recaptured late last year.

Russia’s private military group, Wagner, captured Bakhmut, in eastern Ukraine, in May after 10 months of fighting. and since then, The Russian army is hard pressed mOn the side of the Ukrainian forces that threaten to encircle the city.

In its daily statement, the Russian Ministry of Defense did not comment on reports of the withdrawal of Russian forces from the village of Klichevka, southwest of Bakhmut, which was denied by an official appointed by Russia in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine says its forces have achieved “partial success” in the Klychevka area.

The Russian Information Agency quoted a source in the Russian army as saying that its forces were able to repel a Ukrainian attack there without withdrawing from the area, and that they are eliminating the remaining Ukrainian forces.

Malyar, the deputy defense minister of Ukraine, admitted, in statements broadcast on national television, that Kyiv forces controlled small areas Only from Bakhmut after Russia took control of the city in May.

“If we are talking about Bakhmut itself, then the enemy is practically in a trap,” she said.

“They control most of the city and we only control the southwest. But they cannot move in the city. Our forces will not allow them to do so and practically they cannot leave. Our forces will not allow that,” she added.

Maliar continued, saying that the Ukrainian forces are making some gains south of Bakhmut, but it is too early to describe this as progress, adding that fierce battles are taking place in areas to the north of the city.

It stated that Russian forces are trying to advance near Liman, but they are It did not control any territory in any direction.

For its part, the General Staff of the Ukrainian army said in an evening report on Facebook, that the army responded to a Russian attack on the village of Bohdanivka, at the western entrances to Bakhmut. It added that Russian attacks north and south of the city were also thwarted.

Meanwhile, the Russian news agency TASS reported that the death toll recorded within 24 hours as a result of what it described as the bombing of the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk rose to eight.

Tass also quoted emergency services in Makievka, bordering Donetsk, as saying that the Ukrainian bombing had set fire to parts of an oil storage depot. The Ukrainian army said on Tuesday that it had destroyed a formation of Russian forces in Makevka.