Commander: Russia strengthens forces, increases activity in Bakhmut sector.

Russia has strengthened its forces in the Bakhmut sector, switching from defense to active actions, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces who heads the military operations in the east, reported on Oct.

30. Syrskyi noted that the situation on the eastern front "remains difficult" as Russia is increasing activity also in the Kupiansk sector, where its troops are attacking in several directions. The aim of these efforts is to halt the advances of Ukrainian troops, the general wrote on his Telegram channel, adding that the "enemy is suffering heavy losses and fails to achieve this goal."

The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported earlier on Oct.

30 that Russia launched unsuccessful attempts to regain lost ground in Andriivka, a small village less than 10 kilometers south of Bakhmut. Bakhmut, a Donetsk Oblast city captured by Russia in May, became one of the main focal points of Ukraine's ongoing counteroffensive. For much of the campaign, Kyiv reported limited but steady advances along the city's flank.

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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.