Syrskyi: Russian forces in Bakhmut 'semi-encircled'.

Russian forces in Bakhmut have been semi-encircled as Ukraine created conditions to retake the city, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi told[1] the BBC on July 20. "At the moment, the deployment of Russian troops resembles an arch, concentrated in Bakhmut. And they are under semi-encirclement.

Well, it's impossible not to take advantage of that," the commander of Ukrainian forces in the east said in the interview. Syrskyi noted that recapturing the city, taken by Russia in late May, has not only symbolic but also strategic value, as it represents a significant transport hub, allowing Russian forces further advances. According to the general, the Wagner Group contractors who led the efforts to take the city suffered such heavy losses that they have been rendered unusable in combat.

Ukraine will be able to capture Bakhmut with ten times smaller losses, Syrskyi said.

Military: Russia concentrating forces, on offensive in Lyman-Kupiansk direction Russia is concentrating "more than 100,000 personnel, more than 900 tanks, more than 555 artillery systems, 370 MLRS" in the Lyman-Kupiansk direction, according to Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesperson for Ukraine's Eastern Military Command.

[2]

While admitting there is no clear timeframe for retaking the city, the general says it will be attempted as soon as possible. Syrskyi noted that his troops are facing the concentration of Russian troops on the eastern front.

Moscow has an advantage in artillery, air forces, and other hardware, the general listed the obstacles to Ukraine's swift advance. Russia is also redeploying units from Zaporizhzhia Oblast, currently facing a major thrust of Ukrainian counteroffensive, to the east, illustrating the strategic value of the region for the Kremlin, the general commented. In spite of this, Syrskyi's troops advance 500 m to 1 km every day, recapturing land and preventing Russian forces from taking the initiative, he said.

While Western observers and even President Volodymyr Zelensky noted a relatively slow advance of Ukraine's campaign, Syrskyi told[3] ABC News on July 5 that the counteroffensive is developing according to plans. The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported[4] on July 19 that Russian troops have been forced to retreat from positions near the village of Orikhovo-Vasylivka northwest of Bakhmut. Earlier, the military reported[5] advances also on Bakhmut's southern flank.

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said[6] on July 17 that the Ukrainian troops liberated 7 square kilometers in the Bakhmut direction over the past week.

'It's a lottery': How Ukraine's assault brigade counterattacks near Bakhmut Editor's note: The Kyiv Independent spent a day with soldiers from the 80th Separate Assault Brigade in June, and the story is comprised of interviews with them about their experience near Bakhmut. The soldiers are identified by their names or callsigns, and their deployment locations are not reveal...

[7] Martin Fornusek

News Editor

Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent.

He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He also volunteers as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukrainer. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.

References

  1. ^ told (www.bbc.com)
  2. ^ Military: Russia concentrating forces, on offensive in Lyman-Kupiansk directionRussia is concentrating "more than 100,000 personnel, more than 900 tanks, more than 555 artillery systems, 370 MLRS" in the Lyman-Kupiansk direction, according to Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesperson for Ukraine's Eastern Military Command. (kyivindependent.com)
  3. ^ told (kyivindependent.com)
  4. ^ reported (kyivindependent.com)
  5. ^ reported (kyivindependent.com)
  6. ^ said (kyivindependent.com)
  7. ^ 'It's a lottery': How Ukraine's assault brigade counterattacks near BakhmutEditor's note: The Kyiv Independent spent a day with soldiers from the 80th Separate Assault Brigade in June, and the story is comprised of interviews with them about their experience near Bakhmut.

    The soldiers are identified by their names or callsigns, and their deployment locations are not reveal... (kyivindependent.com)

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