Commander: Russia intensifies assaults near Bakhmut.

Russian forces have intensified their assaults near occupied Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast as they attempt to take control of nearby positions, Ground Forces Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi reported on Nov.

12. Ukrainian forces are repelling Russian assaults in the area, Colonel General said in a Telegram post. In a separate post, Syrskyi reported visiting troops fighting in the Bakhmut and Lyman directions, examining options for "further actions and methods to enhance the effectiveness of the combat deployment of our troops."

Russian forces tried unsuccessfully to take back positions near Klishchiivka and Andriivka south of Bakhmut and near Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said in its morning report on Nov.

1. Andriivka and Klishchiivka were liberated in early September following dozens of minor daily assaults and substantial gains south of Bakhmut. The costly but carefully planned operation began in early summer.

Meanwhile, the weather could affect the warfare on the ground, hindering movements of military hardware, Volodymyr Fitio, a Ground Forces spokesperson, told national television on Nov.

12.   "If it starts raining now, the use of both aviation and combat drones will decrease. Consequently, it will be more challenging for hardware to move.

However, artillery will continue to be used as before," he said, as quoted by the ZN.UA news outlet. Fitio also said that disrupting Russian supply lines and eliminating advanced positions are among the most crucial tasks for the Ukrainian military.

As Bakhmut counteroffensive lags, soldiers burnt out from horrors of war Editor's note: Some soldiers interviewed for this story declined to give their last names due to security issues amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

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Reporter

Alexander Khrebet is a reporter with the Kyiv Independent. He covers Ukraine's foreign policy, alleged abuse of power in the country's military leadership, and reports on the Russian-occupied territories. Alexander is the European Press Prize 2023 winner, the #AllForJan Award 2023 winner and Ukraine's 2022 National Investigative Journalism Award finalist.

His was published in the Washington Times and Atlantic Council.